Richard Belzer is honored by ‘SVU’ co-stars Hargitay and Meloni

Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, the leads of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, have taken to social media to make heartfelt statements in honor of their late co-star Richard Belzer, who died early Sunday at the age of 78.

Belzer – who played witty detective John Munch on SVU, Homicide: Life on the Street and numerous other TV series – has reportedly died at his home in Bozouls, France, comedy writer Bill Scheft has confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter.

“Goodbye my dear, dear friend,” wrote Hargitay, who portrays detective Olivia Benson in the Law & Order franchise.

“I will miss you, your unique light and perspective on this strange world. I feel blessed to have known and adored you and worked side by side with you for so many years. How lucky the angels are to have you. I can already hear her laughing. I love you so much now and forever.”

On Twitter, Meloni posted a photo of himself kissed Belzer on the cheek and wrote: “Goodbye mon ami. I love you. #TheBelz.” Meloni, who plays detective Elliot Stabler on SVU, also shared a picture behind the scenes of Hargitay and Belzer fooling around on the set of SVU.

Hargitay and Meloni were among several members of the Law & Order family paying tribute to Belzer on Sunday. Prolific television producer Dick Wolf, who created “SVU,” remembered Belzer as a “consummate professional” who “brought humor and joy into all of our lives.”

“Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s most iconic figures,” Wolf wrote in a statement shared on Instagram.

“I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order’/’Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much. I told Tom [Fontana] that I wanted to make him one of the original characters in ‘SVU’. The rest is history. … We will all miss him very much.”