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. She holds the distinction of playing the longest-running character in American primetime drama history. Acknowledged as one of the highest-paid actresses on television since 2013, she has received numerous accolades, including two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 2013, Hargitay was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond her acting career, she is recognized for her significant philanthropic work and activism.
3 hours ago : Mariska Hargitay Reveals Family Secret, Honors Late Mother Jayne Mansfield on Mother's Day
Mariska Hargitay disclosed a family secret in a new documentary. She also posted a heartfelt Mother's Day tribute to her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, receiving support from friends while sharing a bittersweet update about her.
1962: Troubles in Marriage
In 1962, troubles arose in Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay's marriage after Mansfield had an affair with an Italian filmmaker.
May 1963: Divorce of Parents
In May 1963, Mariska Hargitay's parents divorced, though a judge later deemed the Mexican divorce invalid.
January 1964: Birth and Reconciliation
In January 1964, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay reconciled a few months before their daughter Mariska's birth.
January 23, 1964: Mariska Hargitay's Birth
On January 23, 1964, Mariska Magdolna Hargitay was born. She is an American actress, producer, and philanthropist.
August 1964: Legal Divorce
In August 1964, Mariska Hargitay's mother successfully petitioned the court to rule the Mexican divorce legal.
July 1966: Divorce Filing
In July 1966, Jayne Mansfield filed for divorce from Matt Cimber, though the divorce was never finalized.
June 29, 1967: Automobile Accident
On June 29, 1967, Jayne Mansfield was killed in an automobile accident. Mariska Hargitay, who was three-and-a-half years old at the time, was asleep in the back and survived with a scar on her head.
1982: Miss Beverly Hills USA
In 1982, Mariska Hargitay graduated from high school and was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA.
1984: Appearance in Music Video
In 1984, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Ronnie Milsap's music video for "She Loves My Car."
1986: Role on Downtown
In 1986, Mariska Hargitay was offered a role on the adventure drama series Downtown, marking her entry into television.
1988: Falcon Crest Recurring Role
In 1988, Mariska Hargitay had a recurring role as Carly Fixx in the soap opera Falcon Crest.
1991: Strawberry Road Role
In 1991, Mariska Hargitay played Jill Banner in the Japanese-American co-production Strawberry Road.
1995: Can't Hurry Love and Leaving Las Vegas roles
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay appeared in Can't Hurry Love and the drama film Leaving Las Vegas.
1995: Leaving Las Vegas Role
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay had a minor role in the film Leaving Las Vegas.
1995: Can't Hurry Love Role
In 1995, Mariska Hargitay portrayed Didi Edelstein in the sitcom Can't Hurry Love.
1996: Can't Hurry Love Role
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 the drama series Prince Street and had a recurring role in ER.
1999: Cast in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
In 1999, Mariska Hargitay was cast as Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. This role would become the longest-running character in the longest-running American primetime drama.
1999: Casting for Law & Order: SVU
In the spring of 1999, Mariska Hargitay was cast as Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit alongside Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler.
1999: Portrayal of Olivia Benson
Since 1999, Mariska Hargitay has portrayed Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
August 28, 2004: Marriage to Peter Hermann
On August 28, 2004, Mariska Hargitay married Peter Hermann, an actor she met on the set of Law & Order: SVU, in Santa Barbara, California.
2004: Joyful Heart Foundation Established
In 2004, Mariska Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation to support survivors of various forms of abuse and trafficking.
2005: Voice in Video Game
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, via an emergency caesarean section.
September 2006: Death of Mickey Hargitay
In September 2006, Mariska Hargitay's father, Mickey Hargitay, died from multiple myeloma in Los Angeles, California, at age 80.
2006: Public Service Announcements
In 2006, Mariska Hargitay appeared in 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 SVU, and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen.
January 2007: Got Milk? Advertisement
In January 2007, Mariska Hargitay and her older son appeared in a Got Milk? advertisement.
December 2008: Collapsed Lung
In late 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 the injury from a stunt.
May 2009: Contract Expiration
In May 2009, Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni's contracts expired, leading to negotiations for new contracts.
November 2009: Support for Domestic Violence Shelters
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.
November 2010: Joyful Heart Foundation Programs
In November 2010, the Joyful Heart Foundation had sent over 5,000 women and children on therapeutic programs in New York, Los Angeles, and Hawaii. These programs combine yoga, meditation, massage, journaling, and swimming with dolphins.
2010: Identifies as Christian
In a 2010 interview with Good Housekeeping, Mariska Hargitay stated that she considers herself a Christian.
April 2011: Joyful Heart Foundation's Impact and Collaborations
As of April 2011, the Joyful Heart Foundation had raised $20 million and helped approximately 5,000 survivors. The Foundation's work was highlighted in episodes of Special Victims Unit with Hargitay's character wearing a necklace representing the Foundation in the show's 13th season. The Foundation also collaborated with brands like Me&Ro, Michael Stars, and AZIAM's Wife Lover Tanks to create supporting products.
April 2011: Adoption of Daughter Amaya
In April 2011, Mariska Hargitay and her husband, Peter Hermann, adopted a baby girl named Amaya and were present at her birth.
September 27, 2011: Donation to UCLA School of Theater Film and Television
On September 27, 2011, Mariska Hargitay donated $100,000 to her alma mater, the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television, to fund 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 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: Campaign for VAWA Reauthorization
In 2012, Mariska Hargitay campaigned for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
2013: Hollywood Walk of Fame and Highest Paid Actresses
In 2013, Mariska Hargitay received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and became among the highest-paid actresses on television.
2013: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 2013, Mariska Hargitay was awarded the 2,511th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2013: Forbes Ranking
In 2013, Mariska Hargitay was ranked by Forbes as the second highest-paid television actress.
2014: Forbes Ranking
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 shared the "Video of the Year" Award with Taylor Swift and others for the "Bad Blood" music video.
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
In 2018, Mariska Hargitay produced the documentary I Am Evidence, released by HBO, focusing on untested rape kits.
July 2021: Broken Ankle
In July 2021, Mariska Hargitay suffered a broken ankle after a fall, which was written into the season 23 premiere of SVU.
2022: Disney's Candlelight Processional
Mariska Hargitay was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional on December 19–20, 2022.
2024: Forbes Ranking
In 2024, Forbes named Mariska Hargitay as the 11th highest-paid actor of 2024, 2nd highest-paid actress.
2024: Highest-Paid Television Actor
In 2024, Mariska Hargitay became the highest-paid television actor, 11th highest-paid actor overall, and 2nd highest-paid actress.
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 similarly to cancer survivors.
2025: Forbes Ranking
In 2025, Forbes named Hargitay as the 11th highest-paid actor of 2024.
2025: Directing and Producing My Mom Jayne
In 2025, Mariska Hargitay directed and produced My Mom Jayne, a documentary focusing on her mother, Jayne Mansfield, for HBO.
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