Mariska Hargitay discusses her real-life “SVU” moment helping young girl: 'We were meant to connect'

Lauren Huff
·2 min read
Mariska Hargitay discusses her real-life “SVU” moment helping young girl: 'We were meant to connect'
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

"I got to hug her mom and her, and it was beautiful," she said.

Not all heroes wear capes — some of them wear (fake) police badges and reunite lost daughters with their mothers. Such was the case for Mariska Hargitay while she was busy playing Capt. Olivia Benson on the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit set last month, when a young girl sought her help after being separated from her mother — a "beautiful" moment which the actress is now reflecting on.

According to ET, at Variety's Power of Women Event on Thursday, Hargitay told the outlet she doesn't know if her being dressed as her police character led the girl to believe she was a real officer of the law, but felt that she and the child "were meant to connect in the moment we did."

<p>Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images</p> Mariska Hargitay on the set of 'Law and Order: SVU'

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Mariska Hargitay on the set of 'Law and Order: SVU'

"This little angel girl was in need and we connected and I could see that. So I did what any mother on this planet would do," she said. 

While Hargitay told the outlet she has not had contact with the family since the incident, which occurred during a shoot on April 10, she is happy with how things were ultimately left. "I got to hug her mom and her, and it was beautiful," she said.

According to PEOPLE, the incident occurred while Hargitay was filming one of the final episodes of the show's 25th season in New York City. A witness told the outlet that the little girl had been separated from her mother in the Anne Loftus Playground in Fort Tryon Park when she enlisted Hargitay's help. The actress reportedly didn't skip a beat, and production stopped for 20 minutes while she helped the child.

Law & Order: SVU is currently in the homestretch of season 25, with new episodes airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and the season finale set to air May 16.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.