Career Timeline of Mariska Hargitay: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mariska Hargitay made an impact.

Mariska Hargitay is an acclaimed American actress, producer, and philanthropist best known for her role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999. This role has made her one of the highest-paid actresses on television. She has received numerous accolades for her acting, including two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 2013, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond her acting career, Hargitay is also recognized for her significant philanthropic work and activism.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1984: Music Video Appearance

In 1984, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Ronnie Milsap's music video for "She Loves My Car".

1986: Role in Downtown

In 1986, Mariska Hargitay accepted a role on the adventure drama series Downtown, marking a turning point in her consideration of television roles.

1988: Early Career Roles

In 1988, Mariska Hargitay appeared in the series Falcon Crest and In the Heat of the Night, marking early roles in her acting career.

1988: Recurring Role in Falcon Crest

In 1988, Mariska Hargitay had a recurring role as Carly Fixx in the soap opera Falcon Crest.

1992: Role in Tequila and Bonetti

In 1992, Mariska Hargitay portrayed a character in the series Tequila and Bonetti, expanding her television roles.

1995: Role in Can't Hurry Love and Leaving Las Vegas

In 1995, Mariska Hargitay appeared in the film Leaving Las Vegas and the sitcom Can't Hurry Love, expanding her roles.

1995: Role in Leaving Las Vegas

In 1995, Mariska Hargitay had a minor role in the film Leaving Las Vegas.

1995: Role in Can't Hurry Love

In 1995, Mariska Hargitay portrayed Didi Edelstein in the sitcom Can't Hurry Love.

1996: Can't Hurry Love Role Continuation

In 1996, Mariska Hargitay continued her role in the sitcom Can't Hurry Love.

1997: Role in ER

In 1997, Mariska Hargitay played a recurring role in the fourth season of ER.

1997: Roles in Prince Street and ER

In 1997, Mariska Hargitay played detective Nina Echeverria in Prince Street and had a recurring role as Cynthia Hooper in ER.

1998: ER Role Continuation

In 1998, Mariska Hargitay continued her recurring role in ER.

1999: Debut in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

In 1999, Mariska Hargitay began her role as Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. This is the longest-running character in the longest-running American primetime drama.

1999: Debut in Law & Order: SVU

In 1999, Mariska Hargitay began portraying Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and trained as a rape crisis advocate for the role.

2004: Establishment of the Joyful Heart Foundation

In 2004, Mariska Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation to support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse.

2005: Voice Acting in True Crime: New York City

In 2005, Mariska Hargitay's voice was featured in the video game True Crime: New York City.

2006: The More You Know PSA

In 2006, Mariska Hargitay appeared in the 17th season of NBC's The More You Know public service announcements.

2006: Maternity Leave from SVU

In 2006, during her pregnancy, Mariska Hargitay took maternity leave from Law & Order: SVU and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen.

May 2009: Contract Negotiations

In May 2009, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni's contracts expired, leading to negotiations for higher pay and a percentage of the show's profits, with potential threats of replacement.

November 2009: Joyful Heart Foundation Initiatives

In November 2009, Mariska Hargitay and the Joyful Heart Foundation built healing kits for women in Los Angeles County's domestic violence shelters and donated money to support domestic violence services.

November 2010: Therapeutic Programs

As of November 2010, the Joyful Heart Foundation has sent over 5,000 women and children on therapeutic programs in New York, Los Angeles, and Hawaii.

April 2011: Foundation Success and Integration into SVU

As of April 2011, the Joyful Heart Foundation had raised $20 million and helped approximately 5,000 survivors, with references worked into SVU via a necklace worn by Hargitay's character.

September 27, 2011: Donation to UCLA

On September 27, 2011, Mariska Hargitay donated $100,000 to the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television for scholarships.

August 2012: Salary Per Episode

As of August 2012, Mariska Hargitay was earning approximately $400,000–$500,000 per episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

2012: Campaign for VAWA

In 2012, Mariska Hargitay campaigned for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

2013: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star and Highest-Paid Actresses

In 2013, Mariska Hargitay received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was among the highest-paid actresses on television.

2013: Highest-Paid Television Actress Ranking

In 2013, Mariska Hargitay was ranked by Forbes as the second highest-paid television actress.

2014: Highest-Paid Television Actress Ranking

In 2014, Mariska Hargitay was ranked by Forbes as the second highest-paid television actress.

2017: Co-production of I Am Evidence

In 2017, Mariska Hargitay co-produced the HBO documentary I Am Evidence.

2018: Release of "I Am Evidence" Documentary

In 2018, Mariska Hargitay produced the documentary "I Am Evidence", which focuses on the issue of untested rape kits. She won an Emmy for her work as a producer on the film.

2024: Essay on Sexual Assault Stigma

In 2024, Mariska Hargitay wrote an essay calling for an end to the stigma surrounding sexual assault, advocating for survivors to be celebrated, similar to cancer survivors.