LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT 25th Anniversary: Stars and Guest Stars Recall Their First Days on Set

Daniel Hardy (Season 11, Episode 15, "Confidential")
“The first SVU I did was with Lena Olin. I was already friends with Chris Meloni because I had done RUNAWAY BRIDE with [him]. So I already knew Chris Meloni...so that was nice to see my friend. I loved working with Lena Olin. I love doing that part. It was a guy who was falsely accused of something. I remember I had a good time, actually, and I haven't seen it in a thousand years.
But the next one I did was with Danny [Pino, in season 14's 'Poisoned Motive']…and that's where Danny and I met. We sort of were in the same circles, and we knew the same people. And people kept saying, 'Do you know Danny Pino?' I go, 'No, ma'am, but everybody that I know knows him. I'm dying to meet this guy; I know his work, and I love his work.' And then there we are on this LAW & ORDER thing, and we've been friends ever since; we become friends.
It was very easy to play his brother [on HOTEL COCAINE] because I feel like Danny's like my brother in real life. And we have so many mutual friends." (Photo credit: Screengrab/NBC)