{
  "id": 11736469,
  "title": "Every Time Mariska Hargitay Played Olivia Benson Outside Of Law & Order: SVU",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/every-time-mariska-hargitay-played-olivia-benson-outside-of-law-order",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T17:52:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2271861/every-time-mariska-hargitay-played-olivia-benson-outside-law-and-order-svu/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mariska Hargitay has portrayed Captain Olivia Benson, the central character of the long-running Law & Order franchise, for nearly three decades since her debut in 2000. Beyond her iconic role on SVU, Hargitay has reprised her role as Olivia Benson across various Law & Order spinoffs, showcasing the versatility of both her character and her own acting skills.\n\nHargitay first crossed over into the Law & Order universe in 2000 when she appeared in eight episodes of the original Law & Order series. This iconic character has since made appearances in Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and One Chicago. Each crossover allowed Hargitay to showcase Olivia Benson's remarkable skills and resilience in different legal contexts and settings.\n\nOne of Hargitay's most memorable crossover cases was in Season 7, Episode 2 of SVU titled \"Design,\" where she aided a suicidal pregnant woman named April Troost. April, a con artist, accused men of rape to extort money, with her parents conspiring to protect her. Another notable crossover was in Season 6, Episode 20 of SVU titled \"Night,\" where Olivia faced a brutal murder case involving an undocumented immigrant. This notable episode also featured a collection of star-studded guest actors.\n\nHargitay's involvement in Law & Order: Organized Crime allowed for an even broader exploration of Olivia Benson's personal life and professional endeavors. From helping her on personal matters to collaborating on complex cases involving shadowy criminal networks, Hargitay's portrayal of Olivia Benson has consistently captivated audiences and demonstrated her immense talent.",
  "summary": "Olivia Benson's run on Law & Order: SVU is truly legendary in the world of TV. Even more impressively, Mariska Hargitay has played her on other shows, too.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mariska Hargitay played Olivia Benson in Law & Order for 27 years.",
    "Appeared in eight episodes of original Law & Order in 2000.",
    "Crossed over in SVU, Trial by Jury, Organized Crime, One Chicago."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}