Meet the sweet family of Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay after starring Olivia Benson on Law & Order became a superstar.

The 58-year-old managed to build a successful career and pull through the tragedies she has been through.

Mariska Hargitay was born in Santa Monica, California on January 23, 1964. Her mother, Jayne Mansfield passed away when Mariska was barely 3.

Jayne Mansfield was an actress during her lifetime and before her death, her career was already failing. She passed away in a car accident when her car collided with a tractor-trailer.

Three of her children were in the back of the car, but they made it out safely unlike Jayne and her then-boyfriend, broody who passed away on the spot.

Mariska Hargitay told Redbook in 2009, “Losing my mother at such an early age is the scar of my soul, But I feel like it ultimately made me into the person I am today. I understand the journey of life. I had to go through what I did to be here.”

Mariska Hargitay went on to pursue a career in the show industry but people couldn’t stop seeing her mother in her and some people went on to tell her to change her name and appearance and even copy her mother’s sexy image.

Mariska Hargitay told Closer, “I used to hate constant references to my mom because I wanted to be known for myself, Losing my mother at such a young age is the scar of my soul.”

She has managed to live and try to leave the horrible memories behind her.

Hargitay told James Lipton in a 2014 interview on Inside The Actors Studio, “There are no accidents, And I believe God has a plan. Although I don’t understand it, I do trust it. And I learned to make peace with what is.”

Her breakthrough came after she starred as Olivia Benson in NBC’s police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Mariska Hargitay got married to actor Peter Hermann in 2004 and they have been married since then. Their first meeting was memorable and Mariska couldn’t help but get nervous around this handsome man.

In 2006, they had their first child, August. They wanted to have a big family and went on to adopt more kids.

The couple adopted Amaya Josephine in 2011.

Mariska told Good Housekeeping, I pulled Amaya out, Peter and I held her, and then the birth mother and I hugged for a long time. That was profound. That was one of the most meaningful moments I’ve ever had in my life.”

They adopted a son Andrew Nicholas few months after adopting Amaya.