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Actress Mariska Hargitay (at the Golden Globe Awards 2005)Mariska Magdolina Hargitay (born January 23, 1964), ("mah-RISH-kah") is a Golden Globe-winning American actress best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Biography
Born on January 23, 1964, she is the fourth of Jayne Mansfield's five children. Mansfield had divorced Hungarian-born former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay (and would again in 1964), yet they were living together when Mariska was born.

On the night of June 29, 1967, Hargitay and two of her brothers were asleep in the back seat of the car their mother and her boyfriend, lawyer Sam Brody, were riding in when it smashed into the back of a tractor-trailer. Mansfield, Brody, and their driver were killed instantly. Had the children not been lying down, they, too, would have been killed. But, miraculously, they escaped with minor bruises. Hargitay, who has no memory of the accident, was left with a zig-zag scar down the side of her head.

Hargitay majored in theatre at UCLA and began her acting career by appearing on the television series Falcon Crest in 1987. She learned her father's native language, Hungarian, but also speaks fluent French and Italian.

In April 2004, she announced her engagement to Special Victims Unit actor Peter Hermann. They were married on August 28, 2004, in California.

In 2005 she lent her voice to the video game True Crime: New York City.

On November 30, 2005, Hargitay's publicist announced that she and Hermann are expecting their first child, a son. Speaking about her pregnancy, Hargitay said, "I'm LOVING every minute of it and am so excited to be a mom." During the last few months of her pregnancy, Mariska will take maternity leave from SVU, and will be temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen.

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Awards
In SVU's freshman season, in 1999-2000, Hargitay earned nominations from the Viewers for Quality Television for Best Actress, from the TV Guide Awards for Favorite Actress in a New Series and from the International Press Academy for Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series. She was also 2004 SAG Nominee.

Hargitay won a Golden Globe in 2005 in the category of Best Actress in a Drama Series. Her father and husband both attended the ceremony. She dedicated the award to her mother.

In 2004 and 2005, Hargitay's portrayal of Detective Benson on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit garnered her Emmy nominations in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Hargitay was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2005.

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Charity work
Hargitay co-founded an organization called the Joyful Heart Foundation to help women who have been sexually assaulted. This charity gives victims an opportunity to swim with wild dolphins in Hawaii as water therapy.

In addition to her own Joyful Heart Foundation, Mariska has worked with the Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program, NBC's “The More You Know” campaign, Safe Horizons advocacy project, Santa Monica Rape Crisis Treatment Center, Project ALS, Girl Scouts of the USA, and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. She is a certified rape crisis counselor.

  "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" .... Detective Olivia Benson
... aka Law & Order: SVU (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Special Victims Unit (New Zealand: English title)
- Fault (2006) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Influence (2006) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Venom (2006) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Class (2006) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Gone (2006) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
(152 more)
True Crime: New York City (2005) (VG) .... Deena Dixon
"Law & Order"
... aka Law & Order Prime (USA: informal title)
- Flaw (2005) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Fools for Love (2000) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
- Entitled: Part 2 (2000) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
"Law & Order: Trial by Jury"
- Day (2005) TV Episode .... Detective Olivia Benson
Plain Truth (2004) (TV) .... Ellie Harrison
Perfume (2001) (as Marishka Hargitay) .... Darcy
... aka Dress to Kill (USA: video title)

Lake Placid (1999) .... Myra Okubo
... aka Lac Placid (Canada: French title)
"ER"
- My Brother's Keeper (1998) TV Episode .... Cynthia Hooper
- Family Practice (1998) TV Episode .... Cynthia Hooper
- Carter's Choice (1998) TV Episode .... Cynthia Hooper
- Sharp Relief (1998) TV Episode .... Cynthia Hooper
- Think Warm Thoughts (1998) TV Episode .... Cynthia Hooper
(8 more)
The Advocate's Devil (1997) (TV) .... Rendi
"Cracker"
... aka Fitz (UK)
- True Romance: Part 1 (1997) TV Episode .... Detective
"Prince Street" (1997) TV Series .... Detective Nina Echeverria
Night Sins (1997) (TV) .... Paige Price
"The Single Guy"
- The Virgin (1996) TV Episode .... Kate Conklin aka the mounted cop
- Kept Man (1996) TV Episode .... Kate Conklin aka the mounted cop
- Mounted Cop (1996) TV Episode .... Kate Conklin aka the mounted cop
"Ellen"
... aka These Friends of Mine (original title)
- The Mugging (1996) TV Episode .... Dara
"Can't Hurry Love" (1995) TV Series .... Didi Edelstein
Leaving Las Vegas (1995) .... Hooker At Bar
... aka Leaving Las Vegas (France)
"All-American Girl"
- Young Americans (1995) TV Episode .... Jane
Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (1994) (TV) .... Etta Place
Bank Robber (1993) .... Marisa Benoit
"Seinfeld"
- The Pilot (1993) TV Episode .... Melissa Shannon
"Key West"
- Less Moonlight (1993) TV Episode .... Laurel
Blind Side (1993) (TV) .... Melanie
"Hotel Room"
... aka David Lynch's Hotel Room
- Getting Rid of Robby (1993) TV Episode
"Grapevine"
- The Katie and Adam Story (1992) TV Episode .... Katie
"Tequila and Bonetti" (1992) TV Series .... Officer Angela Garcia
Sutoroberi rodo (1991) .... Jill Banner
... aka Strawberry Road (USA)
The Perfect Weapon (1991) .... Jennifer
Hard Time Romance (1991) .... Anita
... aka Vaya con Dios (USA)
"Gabriel's Fire"
- Windows (1990) TV Episode .... Carmen
"Booker"
... aka Booker, P.I.
- Black Diamond Run (1990) TV Episode .... Michelle Larkin
"thirtysomething"
- Fathers and Lovers (1990) TV Episode .... Courtney Dunn
"Wiseguy"
- Romp (1990) TV Episode .... Debbie Vitale

"Baywatch"
... aka Baywatch Hawai'i (USA: new title)
... aka Baywatch Hawaii (USA: new title)
- Second Wave (1989) TV Episode .... Lisa Peters
Finish Line (1989) (TV) .... Lisa Karsh
"Falcon Crest" .... Carly Fixx (1988)
- Farewell My Lovelies (1988) TV Episode .... Carly Fixx
- Last Dance (1988) TV Episode .... Carly Fixx
- As Tears Go By (1988) TV Episode .... Carly Fixx
- King's Gambit (1988) TV Episode .... Carly Fixx
- Key to Angela (1988) TV Episode .... Carly Fixx
(5 more)
"Freddy's Nightmares"
... aka Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series
- Freddy's Tricks and Treats (1988) TV Episode .... Marsha
Mr. Universe (1988)
"In the Heat of the Night"
- ...And Then You Die (1988) TV Episode .... Audine
Jocks (1987) .... Nicole
... aka Road Trip (USA)
"Downtown" (1986) TV Series .... Jesse Smith
Welcome to 18 (1986) .... Joey
... aka Summer Release (USA)
Ghoulies (1985) .... Donna