Mariska Magdolina Hargitay (pronounced "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.

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.

On November 30, 2005, Hargitay's publicist announced that she and Hermann are expecting their first child.

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.

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 America, and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. She is a certified rape crisis counselor.