Sally Reed
Actor Mariska Hargitay paused production while recently shooting an episode of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” to help a real-life person in distress. Multiple reports confirm that she helped a young child for her mother.
Hargitay Was Dressed As Character On Location, Had Demeanor Of Olivia Benson
Mariska Hargitay was dressed as her character, Captain Olivia Benson, at the shooting location. Therefore, she had the attire, demeanor, and overall presence of a real-life law enforcement officer in public during the incident.
Most of the “Law and Order” episodes are filmed at various spots throughout New York City. This particular episode was being filmed on April 10.
Young Girl Approached Hargitay, Mistaking Her For Real-Life Police Officer
A young girl reportedly approached Hargitay while she was on set. She apparently did not notice the cast, crew or cameras at the location.
The child was separated from her mother and approached who she thought was a police officer for assistance with relocating her parent. Hargitay did not hesitate to jump into action.
Hargitay Paused Production For 20 Minutes To Prioritize Assisting The Child
A witness reported to People magazine that Mariska Hargitay shut down the production for 20 minutes to make helping the young child a priority. Photographs were taken onsite that made it look like it was part of the episode instead of a real-life encounter.
Hargitay apparently channeled her TV character and consoled the child. She then focused on surveying the area for clues and jumped into action.
Young Girl, Mother Were Reunited In Fort Tryon Park Thanks to Hargitay
Hargitay and the young girl were eventually able to find the child’s mother. They were happily reunited at the Fort Tryon Park, the same location in which the initial interaction between the child and Hargitay occurred.
Clearly, Mariska Hargitay has learned a thing or two in the decades that she has played her Detective-turned-Captain role on the long-running hit NBC television series.
Mariska Hargitay: ‘If There’s A Crisis, I Just Take Over And Lead Like’ Olivia
Hargitay opened up about her connection to her TV character in an interview with People magazine. She stated that she and Olivia have “been on a parallel journey.”
Hargitay added that she has moments where she “slipped into her” character. For instance, according to Hargitay, “if there’s a crisis, I just take over and lead like that.”
Hargitay Referenced The ‘What Would Olivia Benson Do?’ Concept In Interview
Hargitay referenced the concept of “WWOBD” or “What Would Olivia Benson Do?” during her interview with People as well. She stated that “the fans would always talk about it, and one day it hit me.”
She then acknowledged that she has “slipped” into her character mentality in real life in the past. She noted that this WWOBD mentality consists of her “being strong and fearless,” which makes it “sort of this perfect feminist story.”
Hargitay Collaborated With Little Words Project To Create ‘WWOBD’ Bracelets
Mariska Hargitay even collaborated with Little Words Project to create friendship bracelets that show the letters “WWOBD” to support the 25th anniversary of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.”
For a limited time after the initial launch of the bracelet, 25% of the proceeds were donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation. Quite a few SVU fans rushed to purchase their bracelets – especially after Mariska promoted them herself on Instagram.
Mariska Hargitay Hopes That Olivia Benson’s Legacy Is Healing
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hargitay expressed her feelings about the overall impact that the character Olivia Benson has had over the years. Hargitay said that she hopes “her legacy is that she helped a lot of people heal.”
She started to get emotional after making those comments right before the anniversary celebration for the show began. She laughed it off by saying that “it’s too early to cry, people. It’s way too early.”
Hargitay Established Joyful Heart Foundation To ‘Transform Society’s Response’
Mariska Hargitay established the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004 with the vision of freeing the world of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. According to the foundation’s website, the mission is “to transform society’s response” to those crimes.
It also strives to change the societal response to supporting the healing process of survivors with the goal of being able to “end this violence forever.” The foundation has developed a set of “values and guiding principles” that educate and inspire others accordingly.
Hargitay Recently Opened Up About Her Own Past Trauma
Mariska made headlines in early January when she opened up about her own past trauma that she faces in her 30s. She was reportedly sexually attacked by a friend.
Hargitay wrote about it within a candid editorial piece for People magazine. She stated that she was “shored up enough and felt safe and ready to share” her story. She noted that she was “excited” about being able to share and she had “been wanting to do it for a long time.”
Hargitay: ‘There’s A Lot Of Love In The People That Created This Show’
Hargitay mentioned that “there’s a lot of love in the people that created this show.” She added that there was also a “lot of intimacy and an incredible amount of respect and trust and honor.”
The actor went on to express her belief that they “all honor and respect each other.” She then indicated that “it’s been a privilege for me to work with them and to have such an incredibly intimate relationship with all of them.”
Mariska Hargitay Told Dick Wolf At Audition To Send Competing Actors Home
In a past interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hargitay discussed the audition process and her encounter with Dick Wolf. She stated that when she saw the other actresses in the room, her confidence took over and she made it known to Dick Wolf herself.
According to Hargitay, she walked into Dick Wolf’s office and stated, “You gotta be kidding! What’s with the other women? This is my part, sweetheart. Tell them to go home.”
Hargitay Did Not Hesitate To Ask For Critique From Dick Wolf During Audition
She reportedly did not hesitate to ask for critiques from Dick Wolf during the audition. According to Hargitay, she surprised him by telling him to “tweak” her.
She explained to her that she “didn’t drive all this way not to be tweaked.” He gave her a critique and she applied it to her performance. Over two weeks later, she claimed that Dick Wolf called her to fly her out to New York to test for the SVU role.
Hargitay Found It Challenging To Maintain The Balance Between Herself And Benson
Hargitay admitted that it was a challenge to maintain the balance between herself and her character. She focused on “finding the boundaries” that separated one from the other.
She noted that Olivia did not want to get married or have kids for a while during the show. On the contrary, Hargitay “can’t imagine” life without it. She stated that her “goals in life have always been to act and have a family.”
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