Mariska Hargitay Applauds ‘Work Mothers’ Jane Fonda and Ellen Burstyn: ‘They’re the Advocates in Me’ (Exclusive)

Mariska Hargitay knows a thing or two about feminism.

Star of NBC’s hit series Law and order: SVU chatted with PEOPLE before accepting the Sisterhood Is Powerful Award at the 2023 Women’s Media Center Awards on Oct. 19 and was thrilled to be among those recognized by the organization’s three co-founders: Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan.

“It was hard to figure this out,” says Hargitay, 59. “Because these are my mentors, these are the people I say, ‘Wow.’ People who made a difference. I mean, are you kidding me? Gloria? It started a revolution and changed our planet. And then our paths crossed and it seems to me like fate, but they are like my working mothers.”

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Hargitay and Steinem struck up a fierce friendship, sometimes giving fans a glimpse of their social media interactions.

Still, the Emmy winner was amazed by the recognition from people like Fonda and Steinem, because she says everything about her is inspired by them.

“They are advocates in Mariska, Olivia Benson [in Mariska]. It’s RBG, Jane, Gloria, it’s, for me, Ellen Burstyn. There are these people in my life who are older,” explains Hargitay, who often stars opposite Burstyn when she appears in Law and order franchise as Detective Elliot Stabler’s beloved mother, Bernie.

“I lost my mother when I was so young, so it’s very sacred,” Hargitay adds of her relationship with these women. “I think it’s sacred.”

Hargitay is the daughter of the late Jayne Mansfield, who died in 1967 when Hargitay was just three years old. Mansfield would have turned 90 last April.

Mariska Hargitay pays tribute to Jayne Mansfield’s late mum on what would have been her 90th birthday

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Before the ceremony began on Oct. 19, Hargitay posed for photos with Fonda on the red carpet — and listened to photographers shout out their names in tandem.

“Not me! Marishka! Jane!” they called. “Mariska! Jane!”

Hargitay didn’t miss a moment. She turned to whisper something to Fonda on the carpet, and later took a moment in her acceptance speech to pay tribute to the coincidence.

“Tonight I met the magnificent Jane Fonda, who is obviously one of my heroes and mentors. And while the photographers were standing in front of me, they were saying, ‘Mariska, Jane. Mariska, Jane’, explained the actress in a voice full of emotions.

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“I thank you for that moment and I thank you that I can stand next to you, and I also feel that you called my mother here tonight,” she continued, praising Fonda.

“I thank you for that and I bring her here at this time because I think she would like this night.”

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Source: HIS Education