Mariska Hargitay (pronounced /məˈrɪʃkə ˈhɑrɡɨteɪ/ mə-RISH-kə HAR-gi-tay; born Mariska Magdolna Hargitay; January 23, 1964) is an American actress. She is the daughter of late actor and professional bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay and late actress Jayne Mansfield. After winning the Miss Beverly Hills 1982 beauty pageant, she went on to study theater at UCLA and started acting at age 20 with her film debut in the 1985 horror-comedy film Ghoulies. She made her first major television debut in the 1986 one-hour adventure drama series, Downtown. She had small roles in television shows throughout the late 1980s and 90s. In 1999 she was cast as Olivia Benson, a New York City detective who investigates sex crimes on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple award nominations and an Emmy and Golden Globe since the show's debut. She met her future husband Peter Hermann, who played Defense Attorney Trevor Langan on SVU.
Here's Detective Olivia Benson aka Mariska Hargitay on "Law & Order:SVU" (left) -- and breakout designer on Lifetime's "Project Accessory" Nicolina Royale (right).Both are great… READ MORE >
Wearing a form-fitting green one-piece bathing suit, "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay cooled off in the Hamptons on Wednesday.Life's a beach for Detective Benson. READ MORE >
Mariska Hargitay has declared a legal war on one of the biggest agencies in Hollywood -- claiming William Morris Endeavor is trying to stake claim to her "Law & Order: SVU" money ...despite… READ MORE >
