Our September/October cover story with Mariska is now online:
Because of Mariska Hargitay—and her intensely loyal fan base—Law & Order: SVU is now the longest-running drama in TV history. Here, the woman who brought Detective Olivia Benson to life opens up about God, her guy, and grappling with sexual violence both on-screen and off.
For all these reasons and more, Hargitay has become an icon of female power. Her character on SVU is an example we can all point to of how we want to be treated by the criminal justice system. And her producorial efforts, though only just beginning, already reflect a strong social justice ethic that makes excellent use of her massive platform. Which is why I have found myself in this warren of rooms beside the Hudson River.
It’s difficult not to think about Hargitay’s childhood when she speaks so candidly about moving through trauma. The daughter of 1950s Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield and Hungarian bodybuilder and former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay, Mariska’s parents split the year she was born. Then in 1967, when Mariska was only three, Mansfield, her boyfriend Sam Brody, her dog, and their driver were all killed in a terrible car wreck outside New Orleans.
This is when I ask Hargitay if she considers herself a feminist, and, though she obviously fits the bill in every way, her answer is not what I expect. “Sure, sure I do,” she replies. “I’m all about and for women. But do I call myself that?” I nod. I wait. “Well, other people call me that, and I welcome the title, but as opposed to what? You see what I’m saying? Opposed to what? I’m a personist. Am I a feminist? Yes. Do I promote and support women? You bet I do.
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