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Savannah Guthrie & Hoda Kotb Running to Hug Mariska Hargitay Is So Tender

The TODAY cameras captured this adorable behind-the-scenes moment.

By Chris Phelan

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are already an entertaining duo on the TODAY show, but the addition of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's Mariska Hargitay turns the energy up to the max. 

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In a wholesome behind-the-scenes video shared by TODAY on October 1, cameras caught the three ladies seeing each other for the first time that morning before filming their segment. (Hargitay was on to discuss the new season of SVU, which premieres October 3 at 9/8c on NBC.) 

Seeing Guthrie and Kotb literally run to give Hargitay a hug is so sweet. "What is up, my queen?" Guthrie happily asked as she greeted the SVU icon with a gigantic hug.

Kotb then embraced Hargitay with a genuine "Come on, girl!," then gave her a fist-bump. 

Legends supporting legends — fans love to see it.

"We love mornings with @therealmariskahargitay!!" the official TODAY Instagram account captioned. 

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It was a tender moment between the three real-life friends, especially in the wake of Kotb's announcement in September that she was planning on leaving TODAY after seven years on the show. 

Hoda Kotb announces her departure from TODAY

Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones talk on the today show

Yes, Kotb will be be stepping away from her TODAY duties in 2025. She explained her reason for leaving during a tearful conversation alongside her TODAY co-anchors on September 26.

"I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on," she revealed. "And then I thought about it — obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have. I feel like we only have a finite amount of time."

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She continued, "I'm going to be here past the first of the year and stay in the NBC family, but it's kind of a big deal for me. I've been practicing so I wouldn't cry, but, anyway, I did."

Al Roker Holding Hoda Kotb's Daughters' Hands Backstage on TODAY Is Too Precious