Mariska Hargitay proves she’s the real Olivia Benson

Mariška Hargitayová she plays the role of Olivia Benson Law and Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999, and the character has bled into her real life over the years.

“It’s deep within me,” Hargitay said of her character during an interview with her in 2017 AND! News. “I was just saying the other day that I don’t know where Mariska ends and Olivia begins. They just become so intertwined and intertwined, and I think that’s a good thing.”

Fans of the show watched Olivia progress from detective to captain of Manhattan’s Special Victims Unit. In real life, the actress has taken on the role of an advocate for victims of sexual violence. In January 2024, Hargitay wrote a powerful essay revealing that she was also a survivor after being raped by a boyfriend in her 30s.

“This is the painful part of my story. The experience was terrible,” she wrote at the time. “But it doesn’t define me any more than any other part of my story defines me. No part of someone’s story defines them.”

Keep scrolling to see Hargitay take on the role of Benson in real life:

Establishing a joyful heart

Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004 to raise awareness for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Speaking at the charity, the actress called the charity an “answer” to survivors Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s 18th Annual HOPE Lunch Seminar in November 2024.

To be there for a lost child

In April 2024, Hargitay filmed SVU at Anne Loftus Playground in New York’s Fort Tryon Park when a little girl who appeared to be alone ran up to the actress. The situation halted production of the show, according to various reports at the time, but Hargitay was assisting in the search for the child’s mother.

Help in real cases of sexual assault

Plaintiff Kym good discovered more than 11,000 untested rape kits in the police department’s evidence room, and Hargitay funded her mission to continue the investigation. This was revealed in the August 2024 episode of the “Dateline True Crime Weekly” podcast.

“(Mariska) helped them raise the money to do this, and it’s had a ripple effect across the country,” the podcast host Andrea Canning shared at the time. “He’s making changes everywhere, from police departments to prosecutors.”

Help pedestrians during the interview

In November 2024, Hargitay proved that her on-screen police training can be applied to real-life situations. She was interviewed by NBC Willie Ghost NYC, according to a Page Six news while the duo was assisting two disabled pedestrians crossing the street.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, get in touch National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).