History of Mariska Hargitay in Timeline
Mariska Hargitay is a highly 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 and earned her numerous awards, including two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 2013, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond acting, Hargitay is recognized for her philanthropic endeavors and activism.
1962: Marriage Troubles
In 1962, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay's marriage experienced troubles after Mansfield had an affair with an Italian filmmaker.
May 1963: Parents' Divorce
In May 1963, Mariska Hargitay's parents, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay, divorced, though a judge later deemed the Mexican divorce invalid.
January 1964: Parents Reconcile
In January 1964, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay reconciled after Mansfield realized she was pregnant with Mariska.
January 23, 1964: Mariska Hargitay Born
On January 23, 1964, Mariska Magdolna Hargitay was born. She would later become an American actress, producer, and philanthropist, known for her role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
August 1964: Divorce Legalized
In August 1994, Mariska's mother, Jayne Mansfield, successfully petitioned the court to rule her Mexican divorce from Mickey Hargitay legal.
July 1966: Mansfield Files for Divorce
In July 1966, Jayne Mansfield filed for divorce from Matt Cimber, though the divorce was never finalized.
June 29, 1967: Mansfield's Death
On June 29, 1967, Jayne Mansfield died in a car accident, leaving a three-and-a-half-year-old Mariska with a scar on her head. Her brothers also survived with minor injuries.
1982: Miss Beverly Hills USA
In 1982, Mariska Hargitay was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA after graduating from high school.
1984: Ronnie Milsap's Music Video
In 1984, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Ronnie Milsap's music video for "She Loves My Car", the first country music video to appear on MTV.
1986: Role on Downtown
In 1986, Mariska Hargitay stated that she never thought about doing television until a role on the one-hour adventure drama series Downtown was offered.
1988: Falcon Crest Role
In 1988, Mariska Hargitay had a recurring role as Carly Fixx in the soap opera Falcon Crest.
1991: Strawberry Road
In 1991, Mariska Hargitay played Jill Banner in Strawberry Road.
1992: Tequila and Bonetti
In 1992, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Tequila and Bonetti.
1995: Can't Hurry Love and Leaving Las Vegas
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay appeared in the film Leaving Las Vegas and in the tv-show Can't Hurry Love.
1995: Leaving Las Vegas Role
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay played a minor role in the film Leaving Las Vegas.
1995: Can't Hurry Love
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay portrayed Didi Edelstein in the sitcom Can't Hurry Love.
1996: Can't Hurry Love
In 1996, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Can't Hurry Love.
1997: Prince Street and ER Roles
In 1997, Mariska Hargitay played detective Nina Echeverria on Prince Street and had a recurring role as Cynthia Hooper on ER.
1999: Portrayal of Olivia Benson
In 1999, Mariska Hargitay began her portrayal of Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role for which she trained as a rape crisis advocate.
1999: Joins Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
In 1999, Mariska Hargitay began playing Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, marking the start of the longest-running character in the longest-running American primetime drama.
August 28, 2004: Marriage to Peter Hermann
On August 28, 2004, Mariska Hargitay married actor Peter Hermann in Santa Barbara, California. They met on the set of Law & Order: SVU.
2004: Joyful Heart Foundation Founded
In 2004, Mariska Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization providing support to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking.
2005: Voice in True Crime: New York City
In 2005, Mariska Hargitay's voice was featured in the video game True Crime: New York City.
June 28, 2006: Birth of Son, August
On June 28, 2006, Mariska Hargitay gave birth to her son, August, by an emergency caesarean section.
September 2006: Father's Death
In September 2006, Mariska Hargitay's father, Mickey Hargitay, passed away from multiple myeloma in Los Angeles at the age of 80.
2006: Maternity Leave from SVU
In 2006, during the last months of her pregnancy, Mariska Hargitay took maternity leave from SVU.
2006: The More You Know Public Service Announcements
Mariska Hargitay appeared in the 17th season of NBC's The More You Know public service announcements in 2006.
January 2007: Got Milk? Advertisement
In January 2007, Mariska Hargitay and her older son appeared in a Got Milk? advertisement.
December 2008: Collapsed Lung Injury
In December 2008, Mariska Hargitay suffered a partially collapsed lung after a fall during a stunt on the set of SVU.
March 3, 2009: Hospitalization for Chest Pains
On March 3, 2009, Mariska Hargitay was hospitalized after suffering from chest pains related to her collapsed lung injury.
May 2009: Contract Expiration
In May 2009, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni's contracts expired, and they attempted to receive a percentage of the show's profits, leading to rumored threats of replacement but ultimately renewed contracts.
November 2009: Joyful Heart Foundation Initiatives
In November 2009, Mariska Hargitay and the Joyful Heart Foundation built healing and wellness kits for women in Los Angeles County's domestic violence shelters and donated money to the cause amidst a budget crisis.
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, which combine yoga, meditation, massage, journaling, and swimming with dolphins.
2010: Identified as Christian
In a 2010 interview with Good Housekeeping, Mariska Hargitay stated that she considers herself a Christian.
April 2011: Joyful Heart Foundation Raised $20 Million
As of April 2011, Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation had raised $20 million and helped approximately 5,000 survivors.
April 2011: Adoption of Daughter, Amaya
In April 2011, Mariska Hargitay and her husband adopted a baby girl named Amaya, attending her birth.
September 27, 2011: Donation to UCLA School of Theater Film and Television
On September 27, 2011, Mariska Hargitay donated $100,000 to the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television for scholarships.
October 2011: Adoption of Son, Andrew
In October 2011, Mariska Hargitay and her husband adopted a son named Andrew, who had been born in 2011.
2011: UCLA's TFT Distinguished Alumni Award
In 2011, Mariska Hargitay received UCLA's TFT Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored at the school's June commencement ceremony.
August 2012: Earnings per Episode
As of August 2012, Mariska Hargitay was earning approximately $400,000–$500,000 per episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
2012: Campaigning for the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
In 2012, Mariska Hargitay campaigned for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
2013: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 2013, Mariska Hargitay received the 2,511th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, placed next to her mother's star.
2013: Highest-Paid Television Actress
In 2013, Mariska Hargitay was ranked by Forbes as the second highest-paid television actress.
2013: Highest Paid Actresses on Television
Since 2013, Mariska Hargitay became one of the highest-paid actresses on television.
2014: Highest-Paid Television Actress
In 2014, Mariska Hargitay was ranked by Forbes as the second highest-paid television actress.
2015: MTV Video Music Award
At the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Mariska Hargitay won the "Video of the Year" Award for her appearance in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video.
2017: Co-produced I Am Evidence
In 2017, Mariska Hargitay co-produced the HBO documentary I Am Evidence.
2018: Production of I Am Evidence
In 2018, Mariska Hargitay produced the HBO documentary I Am Evidence, which focused on the issue of untested rape kits. She won her second Emmy for the film.
July 2021: Broken Ankle Injury
In July 2021, Mariska Hargitay suffered a broken ankle after a fall, leading to minor script changes in SVU.
2022: Disney's Candlelight Processional Narrator
From December 19–20, 2022, Mariska Hargitay served as a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional.
2024: Highest-Paid Actor on TV
In 2024, Forbes named Mariska Hargitay as the highest-paid actor on television by a wide-margin, earning an estimated $750,000 per episode, the 11th highest-paid actor overall and the 2nd highest-paid actress after Nicole Kidman.
2024: Essay on Ending Stigma Surrounding Sexual Assault
In an essay in 2024, Mariska Hargitay called for an end to the stigma surrounding sexual assault, advocating for survivors to be celebrated rather than shamed.
2025: Highest-Paid Actor on TV
In 2025, Forbes named Mariska Hargitay as the 11th highest-paid actor of 2024, 2nd highest-paid actress after Nicole Kidman, and the highest-paid actor on television.
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