Law And Order Star on Keeping his Marriage Fun and Drama-Free

They’ve got much to be happy about. Law & Order is a ninemonth job; the Melonis spent last summer in Connecticut, hanging out with their kids. This summer, Chris will be in a play (Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge) in Dublin, so the family will join him. “They have to come over,” he says. “You know how it is with kids—you don’t see them for two weeks, you’re looking at a different person.”

Clearly, theirs is a formula that works: Stick to the basics, and don’t sweat the details. For instance, for nine years they’ve celebrated their wedding anniversary on July 2, when in fact, as they just discovered, they were married on July 1. No biggie. It’s not like they ever do the expected things on their anniversary anyway. As Sherman notes, “When Chris says ‘celebrate,’ it’s kind of loose.”

And, now, while many show-business marriages crumble in months, the Melonis’ is turning into a marathon. Looking at them, you’d never guess. At the Tango photo shoot, it seemed more as if they were still in the infatuation phase of dating. Chris grabbed Sherman’s leg. She feigned a grab at his pants. He grinned and said, “She digs me.”

She laughed and said, “I really appreciate how much he appreciates me.”

Detective Elliot Stabler was nowhere to be found.