Mariska Hargitay has been one of the “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” faces for over two decades. The actor started as a detective in the series, and now her character is a captain. As one of the longest-running cast members of the series, she has earned nominations for a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe.
Here is everything you need to know about Mariska Hargitay.
Married for over 17 Years!!
Mariska Hargitay has been the face of NBC drama, a series where she found success and her true love. She met her future husband, Peter Hermann, in the set of Law and Order: SVU in 2002. Peter was cast as a defense attorney, and the duo eventually crossed paths.
After filming wrapped, Peter invited the actress on a first date to a church. During the church service, Mariska knew that Peter would be her future husband, and she was right.
After dating for two years, the couple tied the knot on August 28, 2004, in Santa Barbara, California. They welcomed their first child, son August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, on June 28, 2006. Later, the adorable couple adopted two children – a baby girl, Amaya Josephine, in April 2011 and a son, Andrew Nicolas Hargitay Hermann, in October 2011.
For now, Mariska has spent happy 17 years with her husband, and the couple shows no signs of divorce.
From a Detective to a Captain in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska started her career with minor roles. Some of her early roles were in Downtown, Falcon Crest, Baywatch, Wiseguy, Booker, Adam-12, Hotel Room, and Seinfeld. She auditioned for the role of Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in the spring of 1999. She was ultimately picked, and she has since been one of the main cast in the series. The actress has been a part of the show for over two decades and has appeared in over 458 episodes.
Mariska has an extensive list of TV accolades, including roles in TV series such as Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Nightcap. The actress also has a few acting credits in movies like The Perfect Weapon, Bank Robber, Leaving Las Vegas, Perfume, The Love Guru, and I Am Evidence.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actress earns $450 thousand per episode for starring in Law & Order. She is reportedly worth a whopping $100 million.
Daughter of an Actress
Mariska Magdolna Hargitay was born in 1964 in Santa Monica, California. She celebrates her birthday on January 23, which makes her age 57. She was born to Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. Sadly, she lost her mother in a car accident on June 29 1967.
Mariska’s mother was a famous actress from the ’50s, while her father is a former Mr Universe. She has two older brothers, Miklós and Zoltán, and three step-siblings – Jayne Marie Mansfield, Antonio “Tony” Cimber, and Tina Hargitay. Her parents divorced in 1964.
The actress attended Marymount High School and later enrolled at the UCLA School of Theatre Film and Television. She also attended Groundlings Theatre and School in Los Angeles.
