10 things you did not know about Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay is known for her pivotal role as Lt. Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU alongside Christopher Meloni known Elliot Stabler. She’s practically television royalty by this point. Behind the scenes, she also leads an amazing and interesting life. Watch the video to find out 10 things you did not know about Mariska Hargitay. Not many people know that Mariska is the daughter of the Hollwyood legend,Jayne Mansfield. If you don’t know her already, Jayne Mansfield was a major Hollywood sex symbol during the 1950s and the early 1960s. When Mariska was only three years old in 1965, her mother tragically died in a devastating car crash. Trapped in the car with her were Mariska herself, Jayne’s boyfriend, Sam Brody, who also passed away from injuries, and Mariska’s two brothers. Mariska used this tragedy to build her career in the film industry.She was under the guidance of Katy Griffin when she was attending the Groundlings Theatre and School. Her role as Olivia Benson transform her life in different way.She met her husband on the set when they're filming an episode.The couple got married in 2004 in a beautiful ceremony. Hargitay wore a pale pink Carolina Herrera gown with Hermann’s initials and their wedding date embroidered into the line. In 2006, they had their first son, August, and adopted their next two children, Amaya and Andrew. Her character affected her so much and resonated with so many fans that Hargitay started receiving fan mail from assault survivors who felt a connection to Olivia Benson. These letters disclosed the fans’ personal stories of abuse. Some even were telling it for the first time. Her website states that she’d received thousands of letters and emails. Hargitay wanted to respond to those brave survivors, and her response was to form the Joyful Heart Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to “transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, support survivors’ healing, and end this violence forever.” Since Joyful Heart Foundation’s launch in 2004, the organization has raised over $200 million. Mariska also became a millionaire ,Throughout a typical 22-episode season, Hargitay earns a whopping $500,000 per episode. That means she’s bringing in $11 million per year in base salary earning alone. That’s not taking into account other bonuses, which accumulate until it’s estimated that she’s earning $13-15 million a year from her day job.

Added 18 Oct 2026