who plays olivia benson on law and order
Mariska Hargitay Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (/məˈrɪʃkə ˈhɑːrɡɪteɪ/ mə-RISH-kə HAR-ghih-tay; born January 23, 1964)[1][2][3] is an American actress best known for her role as Detective/Sergeant/Lieutenant Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, for which she has earned multiple awards and nominations, including winning a Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award.