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Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (born January 23, 1964) is a Golden Globe- and Emmy Award- winning American actress, best known for her role as Det. Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Best-known to millions of loyal “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1999- ) viewers as Detective Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay was born around show business and paid her dues in both film and TV before “S.V.U.” finally thrust her into the spotlight. A natural beauty, Hargitay rarely relied on her good genes a combination of her mother, 1950s bombshell Jayne Mansfield, and father, famed bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay instead letting some element of her personal spirit come through in even her most lackluster projects. After a long road in failed sitcoms and forgettable films, she finally landed guest roles as smart, powerful women in a series of police dramas. The chemistry proved just right for her authoritative style. Critics were quick to recognize the talent Hargitay brought to “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” nominating her several times for Best Actress Emmys and Golden Globes before she finally snared the coveted Emmy in 2006 and a Golden Globe in 2005. Hargitay, the fourth of five children, was born at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, an actress and 1950s-era sex symbol, and Hungarian-born former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay. Her first and middle names are Hungarian and refer to Mary Magdalene (Mariska is a diminutive of Maria). Her family name has Hungarian references also. It means: "of Hargita". Hargitay has two half-sisters, Jayne Marie Mansfield and Tina Hargitay; two brothers, Miklós and Zoltan Hargitay; and a half-brother, Antonio Ottaviano (a.k.a. Tony Cimber), a former film director whose works include the female wrestling show G.L.O.W. Hargitay's parents had divorced in May 1963, but a judge later found their Mexican divorce invalid. They had reconciled a few months before Mariska's birth in January 1964 but soon separated again; and in August 1964, the Mexican divorce was ruled legal. A few weeks later, Mansfield married the director Matt Cimber, who had directed her in a 1964 production of the William Inge play Bus Stop. On June 29, 1967, Jayne Mansfield was killed in an automobile accident on a stretch of U.S. Highway 90 between New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana. Her boyfriend, Sam Brody, and the driver were also killed. Asleep in the back of the vehicle, Mariska, then three-and-a-half years old, was left with a zig-zag scar on one side of her head. Her brothers Miklós and Zoltan were also in the car, but escaped with minor injuries. After the death of their mother, the three siblings were raised by their father and his third wife, Ellen Siano. Hargitay was active in the theater program of her secondary school Marymount High School; and she attended UCLA School of Theater Film and Television but left six months before graduating as she began her career. In 1982, Hargitay was crowned "Miss Beverly Hills USA", and was fourth runner up at the 'Miss California USA Pageant' in Oxnard. She made her screen debut with a small role in Star 80, a Mariel Hemingway feature film about the murdered Playboy centerfold Dorothy Stratten. Within a few years she had landed recurring roles in the television series Downtown and Falcon Crest, in which she played the character Carly Fixx. Following her graduation from Marymount High, Hargitay enrolled in the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television and began landing screen roles within her first year of drama studies. By the time she had earned her degree in 1987 she had appeared in the films “Star 80” (1983), “Ghoulies” (1985), and the 80’s teen comedies “Welcome to 18” (1986) and “Jocks” (1987). She found her first series work as a teen parolee desperate to be accepted in the CBS series "Downtown" (1986). Two years later, Hargitay had a recurring run on "Falcon Crest" (CBS, 1981-1990) as the wily Carly Fixx, and continued guesting on other TV shows, often playing characters with an air of toughness. She acted alongside her father in the Hungarian-made "Mr. Universe" (1988), and co-starred in the martial arts vengeance saga "Perfect Weapon" (1991), but a leading screen career did not seem to be in the cards. She portrayed police officer Angela Garcia in the 1992 series Tequila & Bonetti, and appeared in an episode of the fourth season of Seinfeld. Two years later, Hargitay portrayed Didi Edelstein, the sexy next-door neighbor, in the 1995 sitcom Can't Hurry Love, which starred Nancy McKeon. In 1997, Hargitay played detective Nina Echeverria on the dramatic series Prince Street, and had a recurring role as Cynthia Hooper during the fourth season of ER. Hargitay has appeared on numerous other television programs including: Freddy's Nightmares, Ellen, All American Girl, Baywatch, Cracker, Gabriel's Fire, In the Heat of the Night, JoJo's Circus, The Single Guy, Wiseguy, and thirtysomething. Her voice is featured on the 2005 video game True Crime: New York City. Hargitay also had a minor role ("Hooker in Bar") in the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas, and briefly replaced Gabrielle Fitzpatrick in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, though the footage was deemed unusable. Since 1999, Hargitay has portrayed Det. Olivia Benson, the female lead in the drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. " As a woman, it’s gratifying to play such a multilayered part," she stated on her official website. "Olivia is not only a competent, street-smart cop, she’s also an empathetic woman who can respond emotionally to victims of terrible crimes without compromising her professionalism." As a result of her casting, Hargitay has been named as the "highest paid TV actress" working today in the Guinness Book of World Records 2008 Edition. Hargitay speaks Hungarian, French and Italian as well as English. On August 28, 2004, in Santa Barbara, California, she married Peter Hermann, an actor and writer who has often appeared on SVU as Defense Attorney Trevor Langan. On June 28, 2006, Hargitay gave birth to August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, by caesarean section. During the last months of her pregnancy, she took maternity leave from SVU, and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen. Upon winning her Emmy on August 27, 2006, Hargitay made a point of thanking her father for everything he had done for her in her life. Just 17 days later, on September 14, 2006, her father died from multiple myeloma in Los Angeles, California, aged 80. Hargitay co-founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that provides support to women who have been sexually assaulted. The Foundation is a proponent of the idea that swimming with dolphins promotes healing after major psychological traumas such as rape, and has provided this opportunity for many victims. Hargitay took her position in the spotlight very much to heart, and began to do a great deal of charity work on behalf of women’s support organizations. She became a certified rape crisis counselor and founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization which aids victims of sexual abuse with various types of health and wellness programs. She also worked with the Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program, the Safe Horizons Advocacy Project, Santa Monica Rape Crisis Treatment Center, and Girl Scouts of the USA. In between her work on set and do-good charities offscreen, Hargitay found time to marry fellow “SVU” star, Peter Hermann, who played attorney Trevor Langan on the show and also appeared in the controversial feature “United 93.” They had one son together, August Miklos Friedrich Hermann on June 28, 2006. Hargitay also has worked with the Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program; NBC's “The More You Know” campaign; Safe Horizon; Santa Monica Rape Crisis Treatment Center; Project ALS; Girl Scouts of the USA; and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. She appeared with her baby, August, in a Got Milk? ad in January 2007. Hargitay launched her clothing line XO,M on her official website Mariska.com, in October 2007. |
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