Mariska Hargitay

Actress and Bruin Mariska Hargitay wide recognition during her seven seasons portraying veteran detective Olivia Benson on NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She was recognized with an Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series for the role in 2006 and 2007.

Mariska won the 2005 Golden Globe for lead actress in a drama series earlier this year, and received 2004 Emmy and SAG nominations. Mariska also received nominations in the show's first season (1999-2000) for Best Actress by the Viewers of Quality Television, for Favorite Actress in a New Series by the TV Guide Awards and for Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series by the International Press Academy.

In her off-screen life, Mariska volunteers her time to help survivors of sexual assault. In 2002, she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, dedicated to introducing dolphin-human therapy to survivors of sexual assault. She also lent her talent and resources to 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.

Mariska was born and raised in Los Angeles. She is the youngest child of screen actress Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. She is married to actor Peter Hermann.