Tuesday June 30, 12:52 PM

Hargitay, Meloni returning to 'SVU'

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Law & Order: SVU" will be returning in the fall with its two stars.

After lengthy negotiations, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni have signed new deals to continue on the NBC crime drama, which will be entering its 11th season.

Additionally, Emmy winner Christine Lahti ("Chicago Hope") has signed on to play the Assistant District Attorney on the veteran series for the first four episodes. Stephanie March will then return, reprising her role as ADA Alexandra Cabot.

Sources said Hargitay and Meloni, who regularly negotiate their contracts together, have signed one-year deals with an option for a second year.

And, despite the Hollywood studios and particularly "Law & Order" franchise producer NBC Universal being in a cost-cutting mode, the duo are said to have received salary increases to their most recent paychecks of about $385,000 an episode.

Hargitay and Meloni's deals come a month after NBC closed a deal with franchise creator Dick Wolf's Wolf Films for the renewal of "Law & Order: SVU."

At the time, NBC brass said the show will return with or without its stars as the networks and reps for the actors had been embroiled in intense negotiations.

But, while crime procedurals are more resilient than character dramas in replacing leads, losing both Hargitay and Meloni, considered the heart of the show, would've been a big hit to "SVU."

(Editing by Dean Gooodman at Reuters) (please visit our entertainment blog via www.reuters.com or on http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)