Mariska Hargitay
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Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Magdolna Hargitay is an Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning American actress, producer, philanthropist, and director, born on January 23, 1964, in Santa Monica, California. She is the daughter of Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield and former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay. Tragically, her mother died in a car accident when Mariska was just three years old, a pivotal event she explores in her 2025 directorial debut documentary, "My Mom Jayne." While raised by Mickey Hargitay, she recently revealed that her biological father was actually singer Nelson Sardelli.Hargitay's acting career began in 1984, with early roles in films like "Ghoulies" and various television series such as "Falcon Crest," "Tequila and Bonetti," "Can't Hurry Love," and "ER." However, she is most globally recognized for her iconic role as Detective (and later Captain) Olivia Benson on NBC's long-running series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (SVU), a role she has portrayed since 1999. Her powerful and empathetic portrayal of Benson, who investigates sex crimes, child victimization, and domestic violence, has earned her numerous accolades and made her one of the highest-paid actresses on television.Inspired by the stories of survivors she encountered through her role on SVU, Hargitay became a certified rape crisis counselor and, in 2004, founded the Joyful Heart Foundation. This non-profit organization is dedicated to transforming society's response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, supporting survivors' healing, and working to end this violence forever. Through the foundation, she has been a vocal advocate for ending the rape kit backlog, passing critical legislation, preventing child abuse, and engaging men in the fight against violence. She balances her demanding career and extensive advocacy work with her family life, being married to actor Peter Hermann since 2004, with whom she has three children.

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