Mariska Hargitay is one of the highest paid actresses on television. She is best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has also appeared in many other TV shows and movies.
She is the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, an iconic 50’s bombshell actress, and Mickey Hargitay, a former Mr. Universe. She lost her mother in a car accident when she was three and a half years old.
Mariska Hargitay is an American actress
Mariska Hargitay is a well-known American actress who has made her mark in the acting industry. She is best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has been portraying this character since 1999, earning her a lot of money in the process. She has also appeared in several other movies and TV shows over the years.
She was born at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, USA. Her mother, Jayne Mansfield, was a famous actress and 1950’s sex symbol. Her father, Mickey Hargitay, was a former Mr. Universe of Hungarian descent. She has two older brothers and three half-siblings.
After graduating from Marymount High School, she began to pursue a career in acting. She participated in various beauty pageants and was crowned Miss Beverly Hills in 1982. She also attended the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television.
After landing the role of Olivia Benson in Law & Order, Hargitay’s career took off. She became one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. She has also directed a few episodes of the series and served as a producer for some of its spin-offs. She has been married to fellow actor Peter Hermann since 2004. They have a son, August, and a daughter, Amaya. They split their time between New York City and Los Angeles.
She is best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Actress Mariska Hargitay starred in numerous TV shows and movies before landing the role of Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has starred in the show for 24 seasons, and she earned an Emmy nomination in 2006 for her role as the tough-talking sex-crime detective. The show has won a number of awards and is one of the longest-running on television.
Hargitay began her acting career with a few small roles in the mid-1980s, including a music video for country singer Ronnie Milsap’s “She Loves My Car” and a brief appearance in the horror movie Ghoulies. She went on to appear in a number of other TV series, including ER, Tequila and Bonetti, and Can’t Hurry Love. In 1999, she landed the role of Olivia Benson on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, beating out two other actresses for the part.
Throughout her years on the show, Hargitay has received countless letters and emails from women who have been victims of sexual assault or domestic abuse. Inspired by these women, she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004 to help them heal and find hope. The nonprofit organization works to stop sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse by educating and supporting its victims. It is also active in advocating for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
She has appeared in several other TV shows and movies
Mariska Hargitay has been in the acting industry since the 1980s, where she landed minor roles in a number of TV shows and movies. However, her career really took off after she landed the role of New York City police detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Her portrayal of the sex crimes detective earned her several awards and nominations, including two Golden Globes and an Emmy.
Her popularity on the show also led to her becoming involved in philanthropic work. Her character’s empathetic advocacy for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence inspired her to establish the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004, which helps survivors heal and reclaim their lives.
In addition to her work on SVU, she has also appeared in other TV shows and movies such as ER, Lake Placid, Can’t Hurry Love, and Leaving Las Vegas. She has also starred in a number of commercials and has done voice-over work.
Mariska Magdolna Hargitay was born in Santa Monica, California on January 23, 1964. She is the daughter of bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay and actress and 1950s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield. Her first and middle names are Hungarian and refer to Mary Magdalene. She has two older brothers and three half-siblings. Her mother was killed in a car accident when she was only three-and-a-half years old.
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Mariska Hargitay, known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday. She was joined by her friends Blair Underwood, Debra Messing, Hilary Swank, and Maria Bello for the ceremony. She is the 2,511th person to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is located at 6328 Hollywood Blvd, next to her mother’s, actress Jayne Mansfield’s, star.
She is a well-known philanthropist, and she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, which helps victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She is also an advocate for children’s rights. She has been married to actor Peter Hermann since 2004 and they have two children together.
As of 2023, she has a net worth of $100 million. This is mainly because of her starring role on the popular television series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. She has been playing the role of Detective Olivia Benson for 24 years.
Her other acting credits include ER, Lake Placid, and Can’t Hurry Love. She has also guest-starred on several other shows, including Seinfeld. She is a member of the Groundlings improv comedy troupe, and she has performed on numerous stage shows. She also has an impressive collection of cars. In addition to her acting, she is a good singer and songwriter.