NBC drama, Law & Order: SVU will not be the same without the talented Mariska Hargitay. For 20 years, Hargitay played the role of a single mom and a fierce protector of the law. While the show has portrayed her character as someone who has dealt with a lot of tragedies, but Hargitay's real life is no different. The actress lost her mother at an early age, but the painful experience helped built her to become a better person.

She learned to rise above the challenges after facing the loss and tries to live her life to the fullest despite any setbacks that might her way. Life wasn’t easy for the actress while growing up with five siblings because they didn't anyone to look after them.

She overcame the darkness by working hard and finding her place in a competitive industry like Hollywood.  Like a horror movie filled with suspense, she escaped the pain and embraced victory and happiness.

When you clock 35 in Hollywood, it is rare to make an entry as a newbie, but in New York, they play like a different rule. Hargitay was 35 when she signed up for the NBC drama and she has stayed on for two decades. In 2018, she amassed $13 million in fortunes and ranked No. 4 on Forbes' list of the highest-paid actresses on TV.