Quote Of The Day By Mariska Hargitay: 'I Know What I Have To Offer, And I'm Totally Comfortable With...'

For more than 25 years, viewers have come to associate "Law & Order: SVU" with the formidable character of Olivia Benson. Alongside her character, who has risen from the ranks of detective to captain, Mariska Hargitay has stunningly transformed from a former beauty queen and struggling actor to a bona fide star. Her work on "SVU" has earned her an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and four Gracie Allen Awards, and has fittingly made her the highest-paid actor on the show (co-star Ice-T makes just half her $500,000-per-episode salary). Hargitay hasn't just won an Emmy, either — she was named the host of the 2026 Emmy Awards, becoming the first woman to do so in 15 years. 

These accomplishments are all the more impressive considering the tragedies in Hargitay's life. Her mother, screen bombshell Jayne Mansfield, was killed in a car crash that also involved Hargitay and her two older brothers. She struggled for years with the loss of her mother and the embarrassment she felt over Mansfield's sex-symbol rep. As an adult, Hargitay also discovered that her biological father was a different man than Mansfield's husband, Mickey Hargitay (who she still considers her true father). She eventually directed a documentary, "My Mom Jayne," to confront these aspects of her life. Hargitay's ability to rise above hardships and embrace optimism and authenticity is why her words of wisdom are today's quote of the day."

In 2024, Selena Gomez was given the honor of conducting a Q&A with Mariska Hargitay for Interview magazine. (Wouldn't you love to have been a fly on the wall for that one?) The women noted how much times have changed since the show first aired, particularly the dynamics of being a woman in a male-oriented business. Hargitay admitted that when she first joined the show, she was "overwhelmed and scared and kind of looked up to everybody."

Now, she feels that both she and her character have grown in confidence and self-love, which is how our quote of the day emerged. "I know my worth, I know my power, I know what I have to offer, and I'm totally comfortable with my vulnerability, with all the ways I still feel like a little girl," Hargitay declared. "That's a really peaceful place to be."

Mariska Hargitay's words hold power for everyone who has ever felt ashamed of their true selves or defensive about their weaknesses. Under those circumstances, it's easy to be intimidated by others, as the actor was when she first began working on "Law & Order: SVU." With time and work, though, Hargitay came to realize how much she had to offer the world. She told Selena Gomez in the aforementioned Interview piece, "[A]s I grew and evolved, both as Mariska and as Olivia Benson, I think my favorite part is that as I evolved, I didn't give away pieces of myself. If anything, I took them back."

Hargitay's ability to acknowledge her vulnerability has helped her both as an actor and as an advocate for women. Her own experience with sexual assault, along with her involvement with the iconic show, led her to create the Joyful Heart Foundation, a resource for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. Her sense of self-worth also made it possible for her to take on a different kind of challenge: In the summer of 2026, Hargitay made her Broadway debut in "Every Brilliant Thing," a one-person show with heavy audience participation. She admitted to People that she found it "cripplingly terrifying" at first, but that "it was one of the most beautiful and emotional and poignant and hilarious and meaningful and life-affirming plays ever that I loved." 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

• "All I ever wanted to do, since I was a little girl, was inspire people. One of my mottos in life is that it's our vulnerability that makes us stronger."
• "When we come from a place of fear, things close down quickly. But when we come from an open place, and we give ourselves and others room and stay curious, there's potential for so much healing."
• "We can do hard things."
• "[A] lesson that I keep learning ... is of empathy and compassion, and we never know what somebody else is going through, and so we can never judge that."
• "I think that something wonderful happens as we age, and it's this permission ... just to be authentic and to stop people-pleasing, and to think more about what makes you happy and how you want to spend your time."