Mariska Hargitay Birthday January 23

Mariska-Hargitay

Mariska Magdolina Hargitay (born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on the television program Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Hargitay is a winner of a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.

Trivia:

Daughter of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay; sister of Zoltan Hargitay (b. 1 August 1960) and (Miklos) Mickey Hargitay Jr. (b. 21 December 1958). Half-sister of Jayne Marie Mansfield (Jayne’s daughter from her first marriage, b. 8 November 1950),Antonio Raphael Ottaviano Cimber a.k.a. Tony Cimber (from her mother’s third marriage,b. 18 October 1965), and of Tina Hargitay (from her father’s first marriage, b.1949).

Mariska Hargitay is Janye Manfield's daughter

Replaced Gabrielle Fitzpatrick in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) as Dulcea, but her scenes were re-shot with Gabrielle Fitzpatrick returning as Dulcea.

Speaks French, English, Hungarian, Spanish and Italian.

In June 1967 she and her two brothers were asleep in the back seat of a car when it smashed into the back of a trailer truck instantly killing her mother (Jayne Mansfield), the driver and Mansfield’s boyfriend, attorney Sam Brody. Miraculously, the three children escaped with minor injuries.

Majored in theatre at UCLA, but quit shortly before graduating.

Has a zig-zag scar down the side of her head from the 1967 crash that killed her mother, Jayne Mansfield. She was only three years old when she was involved in the crash and has no memory of the event.

Won the Miss Beverly Hills 1982 pagent.

Measurements: 36-24-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Engaged to actor Peter Hermann. [April 2004]

Became good friends with Maria Bello when she had a recurring role on “ER” (1994) in 1997-1998.

Is of German/English & Hungarian descent.

Janye Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay wedding picture

On one occasion, she came upon a pregnant woman who collapsed while in New York City. When no one else came to the woman’s aid, she lapsed into her character on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1999) while aiding the victim.

One of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People (2005)

She learned to swim at the age of two and later swam for her high school.

Founder and President of a non-profit organization to aid the victims of rape – The Joyful Heart Foundation.

Is half-sister of Tina Hargitay (b. 1949) through her father’s first wife Mary Birge.

Married Peter Hermann on August 28, 2004 at California’s Unitarian Historical Chapel.

First woman ever from the Law and Order franchise to receive award nominations and wins.

Gave birth, via C-section to her first child, a son, August Miklós Friedrich Hermann (10 lb., 9oz.), on June 28, 2006 at 3:21PM.

One of People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People (2006)

Her father Mickey Hargitay died after a lengthy illness at the age of 80. [14th September 2006]

Following the family’s acting lineage, Mariska has a cousin, actor Eddie Hargitay.

Spoke in 2007 for Girl Scouts of Greater New York Scholars Program about her career and how she became who she is.

One of People magazine’s “100 most beautiful” (2008).

Godmother of her “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1999) co-star, Christopher Meloni’s daughter Sophia.

Has a partially collapsed lung, but condition is improving [January 13, 2009].

Her publicist is Gary Mantoosh.

Good friends with actress Hilary Swank. Hilary stays with Mariska when on location in New York.

Stepdaughter of Ellen Hargitay.

Friend of Angelique L’Amour, Jennifer Barker and Joely Fisher.