University of California in Los Angeles, California (B.A., Theater).
Nationality :
American
Profession :
Actor
Claim to Fame :
As Detective Olivia Benson in NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-Present).
Sometimes Called :
Marishka Hargitay
Daughter of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay; sister of Zoltan Hargitay (b. 1 August 1960) and Miklos (Mickey) Hargitay, Jr (b. 21 December 1958). Half-sister of Jayne Marie Mansfield (Jayne's daughter from her first marriage, b. 8 November 1950) and Antonio Raphael Ottaviano Cimber (b. 18 October 1965), from her mother's third marriage.
Replaced Gabrielle Fitzpatrick in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) as Dulcea, but her scenes were re-shot with Gabrielle Fitzpatrick returning as Dulcea.
Speaks French, English, Hungarian and Italian.
In June 1967 she and her two brothers were asleep in the back seat of a car when it smashed into the back of a trailer truck instantly killing her mother (Jayne Mansfield), the driver and Mansfield's boyfriend, attorney Sam Brody. Miraculously, the three children escaped with minor bruises.
Half-sister of Jayne Marie Mansfield (Jayne's daughter from her first marriage).
Sister of Miklos Hargitay, Jr.
Half-brother, Octabiano, from her mother's third marriage.
Majored in theatre at UCLA, but quit shortly before graduating.
Has a zig-zag scar down the side of her head from the 1967 crash that killed her mother, Jayne Mansfield. She was only three years old when she was involved in the crash and has no memory of the event.
Became good friends with Maria Bello when she had a recurring role on "ER" in 1997-1998
Is of German/English & Hungarian descent.
On one occasion, she came upon a pregnant woman who collapsed while in New York City. When no one else came to the woman's aid, she lapsed into her character on "Law And Order-SVU" while aiding the victim.
One of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People (2005)
She learned to swim at the age of two and later swam for her high school.
Mariska (Ma-rish-ka) Magdolina Hargitay was born on January 23, 1964 in Los Angeles, California. Her parents are Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield. She is the youngest of their three children. In June 1967, Mariska and her brothers Zoltan and Mickey Jr. were in the back seat of a car when it was involved in the fatal accident which killed her mother. The children escaped with minor injuries.
Mariska majored in theater at UCLA but dropped out before graduating. Her first motion picture feature was the cult favorite, Ghoulies (1985), where she has a memorable performace as Donna. She also appeared in "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) credited as 'hooker at the bar', and in "Lake Placid" (1999) as Myra Okubo. Her latest movie "Plain Truth" in which she plays attorney Ellie Harrison will air in the fall of 2004.
In 1999 she was cast in the role of Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - the first spin-off from the excellent franchise of Law & Order (which also has 2 other spin-offs, Criminal Intent and Trial By Jury). This show deals with sex crimes and the detectives who solve these cases.
Mariska speaks English, Hungarian, French and Italian. She married actor Peter Hermann on August 28, 2004. They divide their time between New York and Los Angeles.
