Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, producer, director and activist, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe. The daughter of actress Jayne Mansfield and actor/bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, Hargitay is a former beauty queen who made her film debut in the 1985 horror-comedy film Ghoulies, and her major television debut in the 1986 adventure drama series, Downtown. She appeared in numerous roles in film and television shows throughout the late 1980s and 1990s before being cast as Olivia Benson, a role that led to her founding the Joyful Heart Foundation, which provides support to women who have been sexually abused.

Filmography

• 2026The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony — Executive Producer
• 2025My Mom Jayne — Self, Director, Producer
• 2025Nuns vs. The Vatican — Executive Producer
• 2025The Alabama Solution — Thanks
• 2022Winona Ryder: The Ghosts She Called — Actress on the Stage (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2021BLKBX: wht r u hding? — Dr. Hart, Executive Producer
• Law & Order: Organized Crime — Olivia Benson
• 202030 Rock: A One-Time Special — Mariska Hargitay
• 2019Emanuel — Co-Producer
• 2019My Beautiful Stutter — Executive Producer
• 2019The Planters — Associate Producer
• 2017I Am Evidence — Self, Producer
• Chicago P.D. — Olivia Benson
• 2013Santorini Blue — Associate Producer
• 2013Stuck — Narrator
• Chicago Fire — Olivia Benson
• 2010F--k — Mariska
• 2008The Love Guru — Mariska Hargitay (uncredited)
• Law & Order: Trial by Jury — Olivia Benson
• 2004Plain Truth — Ellie Harrison
• JoJo's Circus — Queen Regina (voice)
• 2001Perfume — Darcy
• 1999Lake Placid — Myra Okubo
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Olivia Benson, Director, Producer, Executive Producer
• Cracker
• 1997Night Sins — Paige Price
• Night Sins — Paige Price
• Prince Street — Det. Nina Echeverria
• 1997The Advocate's Devil — Rendi
• Can't Hurry Love — Didi Edelstein
• 1995Leaving Las Vegas — Hooker At Bar
• The Single Guy — Kate Conklin
• All-American Girl — Jane
• ER — Cynthia Hooper
• Ellen — Dara
• 1994The Gambler: Playing for Keeps — Etta Place
• 1993Bank Robber — Marisa Benoit
• 1993Blind Side — Melanie
• 1993Come the Morning — Church Woman
• Hotel Room — Tina
• Grapevine — Katie
• Tequila and Bonetti — Angela Garcia
• 1991Hard Time Romance — Anita
• 1991Strawberry Road — Jill Banner
• 1991The Perfect Weapon — Jennifer
• Law & Order — Olivia Benson
• Baywatch — Lisa Peters
• Booker — Michelle Larkin
• 1989Finish Line — Lisa Karsh
• Seinfeld — Melissa (Elaine)
• Freddy's Nightmares — Marsha
• Wiseguy
• thirtysomething
• Downtown — Jesse Smith
• 1986Jocks — Nicole
• 1986Welcome to 18 — Joey
• 1984Ghoulies — Donna
• Falcon Crest — Carly Fixx
• Sesame Street

Appearances as themselves (26)

• Good Hang with Amy Poehler — Self - Guest
• Variety & CNN Actors on Actors — Self
• Gutsy — Self
• How To with John Wilson — Self
• The Drew Barrymore Show — Self
• 2020The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU — Self
• The Kelly Clarkson Show — Self
• 2015Jayne Mansfield: The Tragedy of a Blonde — Self (archive footage)
• 2015Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live — Self - Special Guest
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — Self - Guest
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self - Guest
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show — Self
• The View — Self
• E! True Hollywood Story — Self
• The Daily Show — Self - Guest
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien — Self - Guest
• Late Show with David Letterman — Self - Guest
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — Self
• 1988Mr. Universe — Self
• Saturday Night Live — Self - Cameo (uncredited)
• The Merv Griffin Show — Self
• Today — Self
• The Emmy Awards — Self - Nominee, Self - Host