Mariska Hargitay Looks So 2000s Chic with Strawberry Brown Hair & a Pink Blazer on SVU
Fans of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit‘s Mariska Hargitay have long adored squadroom icon Olivia Benson’s many hairstyles, but her 2004 look from Season 6 remains one of her most unforgettable eras.
Case in point: the below photo of Hargitay’s fearless Benson from SVU’s Season 6 episode “Debt,” in which Hargitay had a strawberry hued hairdo paired with a baby pink blazer. Hargitay looks effortlessly radiant with her lighter hair and pink ensemble, a rare and striking combination that fans still rave about nearly two decades later. The photo captures pure early 2000s elegance, from her glowy skin to her warm blonde highlights.
Hargitay looks timeless in this era, evoking the glamour of her late mother, Hollywood legend Jayne Mansfield, whose signature blonde bombshell beauty clearly runs in the family. Few stars could kick criminal butt and look so good doing it, but Hargitay has mastered the art at the helm of SVU.
Nowadays, Hargitay has veered away from blonde shades, rocking a brunette hairdo with highlights while playing SVU legend Captain Olivia Benson.
Mariska Hargitay reflects on Benson’s hair journey: “Can’t even believe these are the same person”
From short-trimmed pixie cuts to long waves with a middle part, Benson’s hair journey on SVU is both a reflection of the times and a testament to the growth Hargitay’s character has undergone since the series’ 1999 debut.
In an early era of SVU, we saw Hargitay with shorter styles and blonde, while now she’s embraced tousled waves. In an interview with Allure shared on TikTok, Hargitay reflected on the drastic transformation while comparing two photos of Benson from 2006 and 2022.
“You can’t even believe these are the same person,” Hargitay gushed, in awe of Benson’s hair evolution. “I think we prefer me more of a brunette with rich caramel tones.”
Hargitay is the first to admit to the occasional hairdo snafu. She admitted to Allure that series creator Dick Wolf was less than pleased with Hargitay’s big chop of Season 2, which resulted in several seasons of waiting for Benson’s hair to grow out. “Not a good look,” Hargitay quipped.
veryone changes their hairstyle up every once in a while, and Benson’s look has evolved to reflect her reality: she’s a polished career woman and mom to her adopted son Noah, embracing practicality and femininity with panache. And Hargitay loves that journey for her.
“I think part of Benson’s hair journey has been her growing into herself,” Hargitay in a 2023 interview with Allure. “I’ve always called her a mama bear and a mother lion, and it’s important to me that she keeps her femininity. I don’t want her to lose that part of herself in this male-dominated society; I want her to have a hairdo that looks professional. So, right now, it’s pretty and soft, but it doesn’t look like she spent a lot of time on it, because she doesn’t have a lot of time. She’s getting a kid out the door and going to work.”