Mariska Hargitay

From The Law & Order Wiki

Mariska Hargitay
...as Detective Benson (Season 9)
Character Olivia Benson
Date of birth 23 January 1964
Place of birth Santa Monica, California
...as Detective Benson (Season 1)
IMDb profile

Mariska Magdolna Hargitay is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning American actress best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Hargitay made cameo appearances in the Law & Order episodes "Entitled", "Fools For Love", and "Flaw". She also appeared in the Law & Order: Trial by Jury episode "Day".

Hargitay won an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Olivia Benson in the category Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2006. She was nominated for the same award in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008.

In 2005 Hargitay won a Golden Globe. She was the first woman ever from the Law & Order franchise to receive award nominations and wins.

On 28 August 2004 Hargitay married Peter Hermann, an actor and writer who has often appeared on Special Victims Unit as Defense Attorney Trevor Langan. On 28 June 2006, Hargitay gave birth to August Miklos Friedrich Hermann. During the last months of her pregnancy, she took maternity leave from Special Victims Unit, and was temporarily replaced by Connie Nielsen.

Hargitay's father, Mickey, appeared in the Special Victims Unit episode "Control".