On the set of "Law & Order: SVU", an unscripted Meet-Cute

After actors Terry Serpico and Kadia Saraf filmed their first "Law & Order: SVU" scene, Mr. Serpico resorted to passing notes - and contacted Ms. Saraf's manager — to continue their conversation.

To express interest in Kadia Saraf after meeting her on the set of "Law & Order : Special Victims Unit", Terry Serpico resorted to an elementary school tactic: dropping a note to Ms. Saraf.

"I'm shy and don't have really no game," Mr. Serpico, 58, an actor who plays Chief of Detectives Tommy McGrath on the show.

He and Mrs. Saraf, who is 45 and also an actor , met last July, on her first day of filming after being chosen to play American lawyer Anya Avital. Although they only filmed one scene together - a fake press briefing - Mr Serpico described their interaction as memorable, and not just because he stepped on Ms Saraf's toe while delivering a monologue. (She forgave him.)

Between takes, they discussed topics such as family, where everyone came from, past lives, and astrology; Ms. Saraf practices kabbalistic astrology, a style based on the Hebrew calendar. “She was focused and well-spoken and attractive and exceptionally smart,” Mr. Serpico said. "I was attracted to her."

"I wanted to give her my number, that's what it was," Mr. Serpico added, then he then sought out a production assistant. "I said, 'Look, I don't know how kosher this is, but can you send this actress a note? "" The assistant eventually delivered a message on his behalf, but not before Mrs. Saraf heard of Mr. Serpico's interest from his manager, whom he had also contacted to be put in contact with her.

From their initial on-set conversation, Ms. Saraf said she felt "a real connection to Terry. But for her, seeing where this connection could lead wasn't a priority at first. "I wasn't there to make friends," she said. Further, she added, "There was no sparks or fireworks."

The fact that she didn't immediately fall head over heels actually worked in Mr. Serpico's favor. Ms. Saraf said that she wouldn't have agreed to go on a date with him a few weeks later if she had felt too much attraction when they met."I've been told that your soul mate is usually not the person who attracts you out right now," she said.

ImageThe bride, dressed in a white lace wedding dress and veil, was escorted by her son Rain down a grassy driveway.Credit...Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

The mother of three — her sons Rain and Shia are 15 and 11; her daughter, Noa, is 13 – Ms Saraf's previous marriage of six years ended in divorce in 2013. But her approach to meeting a soul mate came more recently. In August 2020, she began studying Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, at the Kabbalah Center in Manhattan, a short subway ride from her home in Forest Hills, Queens. "That was the catalyst," Ms. Saraf said.

She worked with a teacher at the center to better understand her past relationships, her warts and all. Afterwards, "I decided that unless it's a relationship where there's a higher purpose and benefits to the world, I don't want to get into it," he said. Ms. Saraf, who grew up in Israel and Switzerland before moving to that country in 2004.

At the time she met Mr. Serpico, who spent his years training in Malvern, Pennsylvania, he had also soured on the occasional romance. Also a parent - son Calvin, 25, and daughter Stella, 18 - his previous marriage of 17 years ended in divorce in 2014. Sporadic attempts at dating that followed were without hit. "B...