Mariska Hargitay Net Worth

Mariska Magdolna Hargitay, known professionally as Mariska Hargitay, was born on January 23, 1964, in Santa Monica, California. She began her career in 1984 by appearing in a music video, Ronnie Milsap’s She Loves My Car. This video has the distinction of being the first country music video to appear on MTV.

Mariska played the reoccurring role of Jesse Smith in 14 episodes of Downtown in 1986. Oddly enough, this was a crime drama series, something she would become famous for later in her career.

She would make a few more appearances on such television series as In the Heat of the Night, Falcon Crest, and Baywatch in the late 80s.

90s Television

Between 1990 and 1992, Mariska continued to show up on television in shows like Wiseguy, Thirtysomething, The Perfect Weapon, The New Adam-12, and FBI: The Untold Stories. In 1992, she again landed on a crime drama show, Tequila and Bonetti. She played Officer Angela Garcia for 11 episodes until the show was canceled after one season.

She appeared on an episode of Seinfeld, then landed the role of Didi Edelstein in Can’t Hurry Love. This was a sitcom about a single NYC girl and her friends but it was canceled after only one season.

By the end of the 90s, Mariska Hargitay got a recurring role on the popular series ER, playing Cynthia Hooper. She also appeared in six episodes of Prince Street. Her Prince Street character, Nina Echeverria, was a detective for the NYPD, so Mariska had a lot of experience with crime/police dramas before she got her big break.

Law & Order Special Victims Unit

Mariska Hargitay’s career took off when she landed the role of Detective Olivia Benson on the crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999. This spinoff of the Law & Order franchise mainly focused on sexual and domestic violence crimes.

But, the role didn’t come easy. Markisa was in the running with two other actresses, Samantha Mathis and Reiko Aylesworth. The same was true of her costar, Christopher Meloni. He was up against John Slattery and Tim Matheson for the role of Olivia’s partner, Detective Elliot Stabler.

After the two auditioned together, rumor has it that Dick Wolf, the show’s creator and executive producer, said that there was no doubt they should choose Hargitay and Meloni for their starring roles for their onscreen chemistry.

To prepare for her role as a detective in the show about the special victims unit (which often deals with sexual assault crimes), Mariska Hargitay trained as a rape crisis advocate.

Career Accolades

During her career, Hargitay has received many award recognitions. She has been nominated for two Golden Globe awards and eight Emmy awards. Mariska has won an Outstanding Lead Actress Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for playing Oliva Benson.

Philanthropy

Mariska Hargitay is the founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation. This organization helps sexually abused and domestic violence survivors.

What is Mariska Hargitay’s Net Worth?

Mariska Hargitay’s net worth grew through the 80s and 90s as she constantly worked on television and in films. But, the bulk of the Mariska Hargitay net worth comes from her role as Detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

By the 10th season of the popular series, Mariska was making between $375,000 and $385,000 per episode for playing Olivia Benson, making her one of the highest-paid actresses on television. By 2012, that was raised to an estimated $400,000 – $500,000, increasing her net worth by more than $100,000 per episode.

Mariska and her costar Christopher Meloni hoped to increase their net worths by requesting a percentage of the show’s profits as part of their SVU salary negotiations. It is rumored NBC threatened to replace their characters, but the dispute was eventually settled. It is unknown if they got a percentage of the show’s profits, but if they did, that increased her Mariska Hargitay net worth substantially.

Who is Mariska Hargitay?

Mariska Hargitay was born into the spotlight as the of Jayne Mansfield and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay. Her mother, Jane, was a famous 50s bombshell sex symbol and her father, Mickey, held the title Mr. Universe.

However, her parent’s marriage was not a happy one. They divorced before Mariska was born, but that Mexican divorce was deemed invalid. The couple reunited in 1964, shortly before Mariska was born, but separated again in August of that year. Jayne was briefly married to director Matt Cimber.

Three-year-old Mariska’s life would change forever when she, her mother, Jayne Mansfield, and her brothers, Miklos (professionally known as Mickey Hargitay, Jr.) and Zoltan, were involved in an auto accident in Louisiana.

The accident killed her mother, Jayne’s boyfriend, Sam Brody, and the driver. Perhaps because the children were in the backseat asleep, they survived. Mariska has a scar on the left side of her head from an injury during that crash. Mariska doesn’t like being compared to her famous mother and claims the hole that her mother’s death left will never be filled.

Mariska and her brothers went to live with their father, Mickey Hargitay, and his wife, Ellen Siano. Mickey Hargitay died in 2006 at the age of 80.

Mariska Hargitay’s Personal Life

Mariska has five siblings: full brothers Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, half-sisters Jayne Marie Mansfield and Tina Hargitay, and half-brother Tony Cimber.

Mariska Hargitay graduated from Marymount High School. Hargitay attended the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television but left before graduating.

Mariska Hargitay speaks English, Hungarian, French, Italian, and Spanish.

Mariska and Meloni are such good friends that she is the godmother of his daughter, Sophia.

Mariska Hargitay married fellow actor Peter Hermann, whom she met when he made an appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as lawyer Trevor Langan in 2004. The couple welcomed a son, August Miklos Friedrich Hermann. Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann adopted their daughter, Amaya Josephine Hermann, and their son, Andrew Nicolas, in 2011.

Hargitay suffered a partially collapsed lung due to a fall on the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit set in 2008.

Fun Facts About Mariska Hargitay

• Mariska’s name is Hungarian for Mary Magdalene.
• Mariska Hargitay has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• Mariska Hargitay and her son August appeared in a 2007 Got Milk? ad together.
• Kathy Griffin was one of Mariska Hargitay’s teachers in the Groundlings Improv Group.
• Mariska was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA in 1982.

Mariska Hargitay FAQs