Mariska Hargitay

Bio:
Mariska Hargitay (born Mariska Magdolna Hargitay on January 23, 1964 in Santa Monica, California) is an American actress. Mariska is the daughter of actress and 1950’s sex symbol, Jayne Mansfield. Mariska and her two brothers were also in the car accident that killed their mother. After Jayne’s death, Mariska was raised by her father, Mickey Hargitay, though her biological father was eventually revealed to be singer Nelson Sardelli. Mariska was active in cheerleading, atheletics and theater while in high school. She enrolled at UCLA in 1982, the same year she was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA. Mariska dropped out of college to pursue an acting career. She attended the Groundlings theater company and was taught improv by Kathy Griffin. Mariska’s debut role came in a small part in the 1985 horror movie, Ghoulies. During the late ‘80s and ‘90s, Mariska appeared in a television shows like Seinfeld, Ellen, Baywatch, thirtysomething, Freddy’s Nigthmares and The Single Guy. Her breakout came in 1999, when she was cast in the lead role of Olivia Benson on the Law & Order spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series in 2006. Mariska’s non Law & Order appearances have included Chicago P.D., The Love Guru and as Justice in Taylor Swift’s video for “Bad Blood.”

Best Known For:
Mariska Hargitay is best known as an actress, portraying the character Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Best Known For:
Taylor Swift named one of her cats after Mariska’s character, Olivia Benson. Mariska married Peter Hermann in 2004. In 2006, she gave birth to their son, August Miklos. In 2011, they adopted both Amaya Josephine and a second son, Andrew Nicolas. Mariska founded the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004. The organization provides support to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. She is also an honorary board member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.