Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, producer, director, and activist, best known for her role as NYPD Special Victims Unit detective Olivia Benson in the NBC television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her numerous awards and nominations, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

The daughter of actress Jayne Mansfield and actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, Hargitay is a former beauty queen who made her film debut in the 1985 horror comedy Ghoulies, and her major television debut came in the 1986 adventure drama series Downtown. She appeared in numerous roles in films and television shows throughout the late 1980s and 1990s before landing the role of Olivia Benson, a role that led to her founding the Joyful Heart Foundation, which provides support to women who have experienced sexual violence.