She recently was voted America’s favorite female television character. She’s been playing the same character for over fifteen years. To put that into context, her character has lived longer than teens entering high school this year.
Olivia Benson is why people watchΒ Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.Β That, and the phenomenal writing, great cast, amazing directing, show-stopping plot, and more. Mariska Hargitay plays Olivia Benson. Read our interview with Hargitay andΒ SVUΒ producer Warren Leight about Oliva and the show.
Howβd you become a director?
Mariska Hargitay: Iβve been luckily paying attention for years and I have the A-team that writes to my strength as a director and itβs been an incredible inspiration and a joy. I obviously have a pretty strong view about things, so for years you see someone going, βOh, no those are this way.β But itβs been an incredibly fun challenge and trip and education. I really love it, I find it very challenging, and because it truly is a different set of skills and you need the different tools. And sometimes Iβm up for the challenge and sometimes Iβm so exhausted I canβt see straight. My confidants, my consiglieres, we all talk about when I should do it and when I shouldnβt. But Iβve enjoyed it and I was blessed with these incredible actors and the last one with Danny Pino and Armand Assante surpassed my wildest dreams. It was an incredible experience and again, it was perfect. But it was an education though because actors can be sort of myopic in what they see and how they experience things. You know, itβs βHow would I feel? What would I do? Me, me, me, I, I, I.β And you have to be as an actor, but as a director, no one cares about you at all. And you have to be everyone, and see every side and you have to rally a group of people and be a true leader so there are all these great things. You know, some things Iβm great at, some things, Iβm like βOk, I need to work on.β But it was a thrill. It was a thrill.
Benson is Americaβs favorite TV character. What is it that America is responding to?
MH: You know, itβs so encouraging and exciting to me, this character, this beautifully conceived and written character. I think it really speaks to compassion and strength, and what women are β in so many ways, itβs the best part of who we are. She is fearless, she is a lioness, she is a protector, she is compassionate and empathetic, so we feel safe with her and all of those feminine things that we are. And yet, weβre not pigeon-holed because sheβs a bad ass, sheβll kick your ass, sheβll get it down, sheβll protect you. And even though she has fear because she is human, sheβll fucking do it anyway. You know what I mean? And I think thatβs what it is, and the writers have written this character again because sheβs noble and flawed like we are, but she keeps her eye on the goal and keeps her eye on the truth. You know, itβs funny, my friend gave me the Wonder Woman book todayβmy niece and nephew gave it to me. It was so meaningful because what is she? She is the defender of truth, and I think a woman from Harvard conceived this characterβyou know, sheβs the best in all of us. And I think thatβs what Olivia strives to be and recently does it too. She does it all- itβs not easy but she doesnβt quit trying. Takes the hit, gets up again.
Warren Leight: Sheβs evolved a lot, these past five years.
MH: Yeah, sheβs evolved and keep evolving. Being a mother and saying I canβt do this and sheβs this, the boss, and she has a kidβsheβs boss and in charge of a kid. But I think this idea of evolving and stretching and growing and showing up and being there is really helpful- I just love that thatβs what people are responding to.
WL: Well what I love in that poll is that men found her their favorite woman as well and that was significant to me, because you think theyβre going to go for something dumber. Thereβs this fear if thereβs a strong female central character in your show, thatβs off putting to men, but it isnβt. They actually responded very very strongly to Olivia and thatβs the surprise for network executives- that she can run the squad and no oneβs put off by it or throwing around the bitch word or anything.
MH: Well one of the important things that occurred to me while I was playing this character, again, was the compassion piece. That was when I went through the forty hour training to become a counselor and what we learned there is the idea of this bad ass cop who almost serves as a rape crisis counselor. [She] married into one but also maintained her own femininity and heart while she evolves and grows up and that was so important to me because humanity is right there. And she always comes to me from a broken place. She didnβt come into this world like βIβve got everything going for me.β No sheβs the broken product of a rape victim and then said, βHow can I take this hole, this deficit, this pain that I am, that keeps me related and understand people and then make it my strength?β Thatβs also what weβre looking for: nobility of people. If somebody takes their setback, whatever cards weβve been given, and then overcomes it, so I think that.