The Emmy-winning actress has had several iconic red carpet moments
Credit: Jim Spellman/WireImage; James Devaney/WireImage
Mariska Hargitay has been a fixture on the red carpet since the 1990s.
The Law & Order: SVU actress has starred on the iconic police procedural since 1999 and has won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role as Olivia Benson.
“It’s changed me in so many ways,” Hargitay said of her longtime role at an October 2025 Hello Sunshine event. “I look at it sort of as the perfect feminist story, in a way, of how I started here and actually sort of grew into this character and into this person right onscreen and off.”
In July 2026, Hargitay was revealed as the host of the 2026 Emmy Awards. The news came shortly after her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing.
“I was backstage, doing my play, and I got a call. It was Pearlena [Igbokwe], who’s head of the network, and I thought, ‘Oh, I should answer this. Am I getting fired?’ ” Hargitay recalled during an August 2026 appearance on the Today show.
“She asked me about it, and at first, I thought she was kidding. I actually thought she was kidding,” the actress continued. “It took me a while to process it.”
In celebration of her Emmys hosting gig, take a look back at some of Mariska Hargitay’s best throwback photos.
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Graphic T-Shirt
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Before she landed the role of Olivia in Law & Order: SVU, Hargitay played Detective Nina Echeverria in NBC’s short-lived 1997 police drama, Prince Street.
To promote season 1 of the show, the actress posed in a graphic T-shirt and blue jeans.
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Silk Tank
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In October 1999, Hargitay wore a light blue tank top and dark jeans to the “The Denim Exchange: Redefining the Basics” silent auction, which benefited the New York Restoration Project.
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Metallic Dress
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Hargitay attended the 2000 Golden Globe Awards in a shiny, dark gray dress paired with a black shawl and a smokey eye.
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Pixie Cut
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Hargitay rocked a sparkly top, pixie cut and signature 2000s glam for the July 2000 premiere of Coyote Ugly.
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From Brunette to Blonde
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The Law & Order: SVU star went blonde for the premiere of Lisa Picard Is Famous in August 2001.
She paired her new ‘do with a purple top and a denim skirt.
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Statement Necklace
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Hargitay opted for a casual outfit at the November 2001 Nintendo Gamecube Launch Party, wearing head-to-toe green with a statement gold necklace.
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Patterned Pink Top
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In May 2002, Hargitay was captured playing a game of pool at New York City’s Amsterdam Billiards during an afterparty for “An Evening with Jerry Seinfeld to Benefit Baby Buggy.”
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Black-and-White
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The actress dazzled in a white dress with a plunging neckline at the 2003 “Share the Beat” event in Los Angeles, which raised awareness for organ donation and transplants.
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Sheer Top
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At New York Fashion Week in 2004, Hargitay wore a sheer black top with jeans and heels for a classic Y2K look.
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Backless Dress
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Hargitay and her husband, Peter Hermann, were all smiles as they posed at the September 2004 Law & Order season premiere party in N.Y.C.
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Pink Silk Gown
Credit: Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
After winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in A Television Series — Drama at the 2005 ceremony, Hargitay posed with her award in the press room.
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Floor-Length White Dress
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Hargitay looked angelic in a floor-length white dress at the 12th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006.
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