Mariska - Happier Than Ever!

The star of Law & Order: SVU — now in its record 21st season — is a heroine to millions who tune in to watch caring Olivia Benson solve sex crimes. Mariska Hargitay reveals how heartbreak makes her success even sweeter.

With a job playing the beloved lead on one of TV’s most enduring hits, a picture-perfect family and success with causes she believes in, Mariska Hargitay appears to be living her best life — and sources confirm it’s the real deal. “She’s happier than ever,” says an insider. But on the road to having it all, the celebrated actress has faced — and been forced to overcome — both public and very private hurdles. “There’s been a lot of darkness,” she’s said. “But on the other side, things can be so bright.”

BUMPS IN THE ROAD

Mariska, 55, who’s played the shrewd yet empathetic sexual-assault detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU for a record 21 years (and counting!), has been outspoken about the trials that have defined her life. The early trauma of losing her mom, 1950s Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield, in a tragic car wreck — while 3-year old Mariska was in the backseat — is the “scar of my soul,” she’s said, revealing that she sought intensive therapy she believes “saved my life.”