Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay | |
|---|---|
Hargitay at Make Believe On Broadway in 2011 | |
| Born | Mariska Magdolna Hargitay January 23, 1964 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse |
Peter Hermann (m. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Jayne Marie Mansfield (half-sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
Mariska Magdolna Hargitay[1][2] (/məˈrɪʃkə ˈhɑːrɡɪteɪ/;[3] born January 23, 1964)[4] is an American actress, philanthropist, producer, and director. Hargitay has starred as Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999, making it the longest-running character in American primetime drama in history. Her accolades for the role include an Emmy and a Golden Globe. In 2013, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hargitay was born in Santa Monica, California, and is a daughter of actress Jayne Mansfield. She attended Marymount High School in Los Angeles and enrolled in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, leaving before completing her degree to pursue acting. Her other credits include the series Falcon Crest and In the Heat of the Night (both 1988), Tequila and Bonetti (1992), Can't Hurry Love (1995–1996), and ER (1997–1998).
Outside of acting, Hargitay co-produced the HBO documentary I Am Evidence (2017), winning a News and Documentary Emmy for the project. In 2025, she launched the production company Mighty Entertainment, under which she directed the documentary My Mom Jayne. Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, which provides support to people who have been sexually abused. She is a certified rape counselor and has engaged in initiatives to support domestic violence shelters and raise awareness about untested rape kits.
- ^ Gelt, Jessica (November 10, 2013). "Mariska Hargitay". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
Born Mariska Magdolna Hargitay on Jan. 23, 1964 in Santa Monica, CA ... .
- ^ Inside the Actors Studio: Mariska Hargitay (television production). The Actors Studio. September 22, 2014. Mariska says her own first name and the name of her step-father, Mickey Hargitay; the interviewer, James Lipton, also says her full name near the start of the show.
- ^ "Say How: H". National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ^ "Focus Forum". The Times-Picayune. October 1, 1995. p. T14.