Mariska Hargitay doesn’t just star as a heroic detective saving people’s lives onscreen — she also steps into those shoes in real life, too.
via: EW
While filming new episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in New York City last week, Hargitay, 60, had no choice but to channel her onscreen counterpart when a lost child saw her badge, mistook her for a real police officer, and sought her help.
A witness told PEOPLE that the April 10 shoot was briefly interrupted after the young girl got separated from her mother while playing in Fort Tryon Park. In true Olivia Benson fashion, Hargitay didn’t hesitate to step up and paused production for 20 minutes to assist the girl, who was oblivious to the cameras, crew, and cast — including Hargitay’s scene partner, Ice-T.
Thankfully, 25 seasons of SVU have taught Hargitay a thing or two about saving the day, and it wasn’t long before she helped reunite the kid with her mom.
The Emmy-winning actress has been portraying Benson since 1999, when she was cast to lead the Law & Order spinoff that would eventually become the longest-running drama in prime-time American television.
To celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary, Hargitay and Ice-T recently revisited some of SVU’s most pivotal moments for an Entertainment Weekly digital cover.
“It’s so different,” Hargitay said after watching a season 1 clip of Benson and then-partner Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). “We’re so young, and it’s got a cute vibe. It’s so sweet and innocent, and I love that. If you gave us that same scene and we did it now, it would be oh so different.”
She continued, “But I love looking at the beginning, so we can really sit in appreciation of the evolution of these characters. And the evolution — especially of Olivia Benson, and the maturity, and this woman growing into her power. It’s beautiful.”
Law & Order: SVU is currently in the midst of season 25, with new episodes airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Mariska Hargitay was mistaken for a real police officer while filming an episode of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ when she was approached by a little girl who had been separated from her mother.
She jumped into action and halted production to help the child find her mom. pic.twitter.com/pwL38JonDm
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) April 18, 2024
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