10 Things You Might Be Surprised to Know About Mariska Hargitay

Mariska comes from a famous family. Her parents are Hungarian-born former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay and sex symbol Jayne Mansfield. In 1967, her mother tragically died in a car crash when she was only 3 years old. Mariska paid tribute to her late mom when she got married in 2004 by carrying a locket with a photo of her and her late grandmother.

Raised Roman Catholic, Mariska was given a biblical name at birth. Her first and middle names, Mariska Magdolna, are Hungarian and refer to Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus's many followers.

While her father was a former Mr. Universe, Mariska was a former Miss Beverly Hills USA. She was crowned in 1982 and later went on to compete in Miss California USA with Julie Hayek, who was later crowned Miss USA.

After leaving UCLA to pursue an acting career, Mariska attended the Groundlings Theatre and School with Kathy Griffin as her improv teacher. In 2010, they shared the screen together when Kathy made a cameo on Mariska's hit series Law and Order: SVU.

In 1995, Mariska briefly replaced Gabrielle Fitzpatrick as Dulcea in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie when the actress fell ill on set. However, her scenes were eventually cut when Gabrielle recovered and resumed filming.

Mariska speaks five languages: English, French, Hungarian, Spanish, and Italian.

Mariska met actor Peter Hermann in 2001 when they costarred on Law and Order: SVU, and they ended up hitting it off when they decided to attend church together. "I just about passed out when I saw him there," Mariska told InStyle. "I thought, 'That's my husband.'"

Not only do Mariska and Peter have a picture-perfect romance, but they are also loving parents to three beautiful children. The duo welcomed their son, August Miklos Friedrich, in June 2006 when Mariska was 42, and their daughter and second son, Amaya Josephine and Andrew Nicolas, by adoption almost five years later.

In 2004, Mariska established the Joyful Heart Foundation in an effort to provide support to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. The organization has since raised more than $33.5 million and helped more than 18,500 individuals.

Mariska is good friends with the "Look What You Made Me Do" singer. Not only did she appear in her "Bad Blood" music video and on her 1989 tour, but Taylor also named one of her two cats after Mariska's Law and Order: SVU character, Olivia Benson. After winning her groping trial against DJ David Mueller this year, Taylor donated a "generous" amount of money to Mariska's Joyful Heart Foundation.