Olivia Benson is on the case.
60-year-old Mariska Hargitay, who has played the role of Olivia Benson in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” since 1999, does not only solve fictional crimes on television.
In a recent interview on the “Today” show, Andrea Canning of NBC’s “Dateline” revealed that Hargitay bankrolled Michigan prosecutor Kym Worthy while she solved thousands of cases. Canning was on “Today” to promote the next episode of the podcast “Dateline: True Crime Weekly,” which will be released on August 15, in which she will speak with Worthy.
When Worthy discovered that over 11,000 untested rape kits were sitting on a shelf in an evidence room, she wanted to have them tested, but needed money to do so.
“So who stepped in? None other than Mariska Hargitay from ‘Law and Order,'” Canning revealed.
Canning explained that the actress helped them raise the money for it.
Hargitay and her husband Peter Hermann, who is also an actor, have three children: 12-year-old daughter Amaya and 18-year-old sons August and Andrew.
In a May 2 interview with Variety, Hargitay said, “The world and the culture needed an Olivia Benson, needed someone to talk about these things and fight for survivors and believe the victims.”
She added: “Initiating the show was so brilliant in that respect because Olivia was the loving mother we all want.”
Hargitay’s real-life philanthropy, which funded Worthy’s efforts, led to the solving of thousands of cases and the discovery of 22 serial rapists.
Canning said Worthy and Hargitay’s joint work is “having a ripple effect across the country, making changes everywhere – in police departments and prosecutors’ offices.”
Hargitay has helped real law enforcement agencies in the past.
In April, during filming of the 25th season of “Law & Order: SVU,” a little girl who had been separated from her mother approached Hargitay because she thought the actress was a real police officer.
Production of the show was halted for about 20 minutes while Hargitay successfully helped the young child find his mother at the Anne Loftus Playground in Fort Tryon Park.
While speaking to Entertainment Tonight at Variety’s Power of Women event on May 2, Hargitay reflected on the incident.
“We should connect at this moment,” she said.
“This little angel was in need and we had a connection, I could see that,” Hargitay continued. “So I did what any mother on the planet would do.”
The Emmy winner also raved about being able to hug mother and daughter after their reunion.
“It was beautiful,” she said.
