Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (; born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and philanthropist. Hargitay has played Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999, which is the longest-running character in the longest-running American primetime drama. Since 2013, she is among the highest-paid actresses on television. Her accolades include two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and in 2013, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is also known for her philanthropic work and activism.

Hargitay was born in Santa Monica, California, and is the daughter of bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay and actress Jayne Mansfield. She attended Marymount High School in Los Angeles and enrolled in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, leaving before completing her degree to pursue acting. Her early credits include the series Falcon Crest and In the Heat of the Night (both 1988), Tequila and Bonetti (1992), Can't Hurry Love (1995–1996), and ER (1997–1998), and the drama film Leaving Las Vegas (1995). Asides from SVU, she co-produced the HBO documentary I Am Evidence (2017).

Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, which provides support to people who have been sexually abused, and became a certified rape counselor. She has engaged in initiatives to support domestic violence shelters, raise awareness about untested rape kits, and contributed to other causes.