Law & Order: SVU stars pay tribute to Richard Belzer after the actor died at 78

Stars of Law & Order: SVU have paid tribute to Richard Belzer after the actor died at 78.

He played the iconic Detective John Munch for 14 seasons on the long-running TV show.

The circumstances of his death have not been revealed.

Chris Meloni, who played Elliot Stabler, posted a photo of them together on Twitter, alongside a caption that said: "Good bye mon ami. I love you."

Ice-T, who played Detective/Sergeant Odafin Tutuola, added: "Highs and Lows… After one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. Belz is gone.

"Damn it! But remember this..’When you ARE having real fun and are Truly Happy. ENJOY it to the fullest! Cause Pain is inevitably coming.’ I’ll miss you Homie."

Mariska Hargitay, the SVU star who portrayed Olivia Benson, wrote: "Goodbye my dear, dear friend. I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world.

"I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years. How lucky the angels are to have you.

"I love you so very much, now and forever."

Belzer certainly didn't mince his dying words when he was on his death bed.

Who that was directed at, no one knows.

"Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters," Wolf said.

"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 on SVU.

Wolf added: "The rest is history. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional and we will all miss him very much.”

Before Belzer scored the ultimate role of Detective Munch, he was a comedian.

After becoming a household name on SVU, he appeared in 11 different shows across multiple networks, from The X-Files to Arrested Development.

He also was cast in several movies, including Scarface, Nightshift, and The Groove Tube.