Law and Order: Mariska Hargitay is Detective Olivia Benson

When it comes to filling roles for characters, the creators and folks in charge of casting, did a great job of selecting actress, Mariska Hargitay to play the role of fictional New York Detective, Olivia Benson, opposite her partner, Christopher Meloni, who plays her fictional character's equally fictional partner.

Hargitay, who has received a Golden Globe and an Emmy award for her portrayal, does a masterful job with her character who is pretty much the polar opposite of Meloni's. Benson is tough, compassionate, and completely dedicated to her job, to the point that she has no personal life of which to speak.

This dedication, however, sometimes wreaks havoc on her emotional state. Many times, she empathizes with victims of sexual assault so much that, when an abuser evades justice or a victim suffers, she holds herself personally responsible.
Benson has also occasionally let her compassion for victims of abuse cloud her professional judgement, an example being a case in which she fought her boss, Captain Don Cragen, to get leniency for a woman who killed her rapist.

Benson and her partner, Detective Elliot Stabler are so close that some fans of the show think of them as brother and sister. However, their relationship is not without friction, as they frequently take different stances on cases they investigate; Benson is quicker to take the victim's side than Stabler is, and they periodically have intense arguments about how best to close cases.

In the 2006 season premiere, Benson successfully infiltrated an eco-terrorist group, and took a leave of absence from SVU to work with the FBI. While working for the FBI, she assumed the Persephone Freed-James, taken from the girlfriend of an eco-terrorist. Several episodes later, SVU tried to get in touch with her so that she could testify in a rape trial. Near the end of the episode, "Infiltrated", her time with the FBI comes to an end and she returns to SVU to testify in the rape case.

Now, I must say once again, that Hargitay is absolutely masterful as Benson and at this point, I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the street-wise detective. Here is a glimpse at the talented actor's brginnings in the film industry.

Born on January 23, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Hargitay is the fourth of Jayne Mansfield's five children.
Hargitay began her acting career by appearing on the television series Falcon Crest in 1987. She then played a police officer in the short-lived 1992 series Tequila & Bonetti and appeared during the fourth season of Seinfeld as one of the actors auditioning for Jerry.

Hargitay had a recurring role during the fourth season of ER, as part of a story arc that lasted over a dozen episodes. Hargitay has also appeared on the sitcom Ellen and since 1999, has played the lead role as Benson on Law and Order SVU.

Hargitay's work on "SVU" motivated her to help real-life survivors of sexual assault. Giving generously of her time and talent, she has become involved with several non-profit rape crisis programs on both the East and West coasts, including SAAVI (Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative) and her own organization, the Joyful Heart Foundation.
For her part, Hargitay says it's very challenging playing such a complex role.

"As a woman, it's gratifying to play a part that's a multi-layered challenge," Hargitay said in an interview. "Olivia is not only a competent, street-smart cop, she's an empathetic woman who can respond emotionally to victims of terrible crimes without compromising her professionalism."

Hargitay graduated in 1987 from the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television with a major in theatre and is also an alumna of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

In April 2004, she announced her engagement to Special Victims Unit actor Peter Hermann. They were married on August 28, 2004, in California. The couple's wedding was in Santa Barbara in front of 200 guests.

Hargitay co-founded an organization called the Joyful Heart Foundation to help women who have been sexually assaulted. This charity gives victims an opportunity to swim with wild dolphins in Hawaii as water therapy.

In addition to her own Joyful Heart Foundation, Mariska has worked with the Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention program, NBC's "The More You Know" campaign, the Safe Horizons advocacy project, Santa Monica Rape Crisis Treatment Center, Project ALS, Girl Scouts of the USA, and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. She is a certified rape crisis counselor.

As an aside, it's interesting to note that, on the night of June 29, 1967, Hargitay and two of her brothers were asleep in the back seat of the car their mother and her boyfriend, lawyer Sam Brody, were riding in when it smashed into the back of a tractor-trailer. Hargitay's mother was killed instantly, as was Brody and their driver. Had the children not been lying down, they, too, would have been killed, but they escaped with only minor bruises. Hargitay, who has no memory of the accident, was left with a zig-zag scar down the side of her head.

Career Filmography:
Freedom Dance (2006) (Animated Documentary)
America Rebuilds: Return to Ground Zero (2006) (TV)
Plain Truth (2004) (TV)
Perfume (2001)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999 - present) (TV series)
Lake Placid (1999)
Prince Street (1997) (TV series)
The Advocate's Devil (1997) (TV)
Night Sins (1997) (mini series)
ER (1996) (TV series)
Ellen (1996) (TV series)
Can't Hurry Love (1995) (TV series)
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (1994) (TV)
Bank Robber (1993)
Blind Side (1993) (TV)
Seinfeld (1993) (TV)
Tequila & Bonetti (1992) (TV series)
Grapevine (1992) (TV series)
Sutoroberi rodo (1991)
The Perfect Weapon (1991)
Hard Time Romance (1991)
Finish Line (1989) (TV)
Falcon Crest (1981) (TV series) (1988)
Mr. Universe (1988)
Jocks (1987)
Downtown (1986) (TV series)
Welcome to 18 (1986)
Ghoulies (1985)