Mariska Hargitay Shares the 'Lesson' She's Learned with Debut Broadway Role (Exclusive)

Alexandra SchonfeldWed, June 3, 2026 at 7:42 PM UTC

0

Mariska Hargitay on stage on June 2, 2026 during the curtain call for 'Every Brilliant Thing'Credit: Oliver Rodriguez/Shutterstock -

Mariska Hargitay is officially a Broadway actress — making her debut in Every Brilliant Thing on May 26

A week later, the star was joined by family and friends to celebrate the milestone at the Hudson Theatre where she spoke about the impact of the role

Hargitay will appear in the show until July 5

Mariska Hargitay's latest role has an important message to teach.

At a celebration of her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing on Tuesday, June 2, Hargitay, 62, tells PEOPLE what she's learned through her work on the show about finding the "brilliant" things in life against all odds. "It's a lesson that I keep learning, and I think that it's a lesson that keeps just dropping a little bit deeper, and that is of empathy and compassion, and we never know what somebody else is going through, and so we can never judge that," she says.

The actress adds, "We accept, and we love, and we love deeper, and we love harder, and we love in a more whole way, and it's the greatest gift, greatest thing we can learn as humans."

Mariska Hargitay celebrates her Broadway debut at the Hudson Theatre on June 2, 2026Credit: Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Exploring these themes is not new to the actress and director who told PEOPLE for her recent cover story that she "identified with the character in so many ways." She explained, "It's a play about healing, the stories that I love to tell."

Offstage, Hargitay has starred as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU for nearly three decades. Last year, she made her directorial debut with the documentary My Mom Jayne about the life and tragic loss of her mother, Jayne Mansfield, in 1967 — and the grief and trauma Hargitay has navigated in the years since.

Advertisement

"There are similarities between my film and this play. The stories are different, but the feeling is the same," she said of the two projects.

After making her official Broadway debut on May 26, taking over the role originated by Daniel Radcliffe, Hargitay feels "excited to share [the show] with people."

Mariska Hargitay photographed at Corner Studio in New York City on May 11, 2026Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews

"It's not about me, it's about sharing this play, and how lucky I feel that the audience gets to experience these beautiful words, and this extraordinary story rendered in all its complexity," she says now.

And while Hargitay is no stranger to being center stage — she has led SVU for 27 seasons and counting — Broadway is a whole other ballgame. "It's nothing like SVU, it's nothing like I've ever done," she says.  "The idea that the longest take I've ever done is a few minutes, five minutes even, that's a long take, but the idea of doing an hour and 21 minutes without a break in front of 1000 people, it's like, wow!"

Mariska Hargitay stars in Every Brilliant Thing at the Hudson Theatre through July 5.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”