Jayne Mansfield's Daughter Mariska Hargitay Shut Down Cruel ‘Fat’ Comments With The Best Reply

Sep 04, 2025 by apost team

Mariska Hargitay has been in the spotlight since childhood due to her celebrity parents. As the daughter of bombshell Jayne Mansfield and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, it is no wonder that Hargitay went into show business. Tragically, Mansfield was killed in a car accident when Hargitay was 3 years old. The actress was in the car when the accident occurred and has a scar on the side of her head shaped like a zig-zag. 

The star has had an incredible career, having starred in the popular television drama "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" since 1999. Hargitay is the winner of a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for her performance on the show.

Before she was Olivia Benson on "Law and Order," Hargitay appeared in a number of films and TV series. Her debut came in 1984 when she was featured in a music video for "She Loves My Car" by Ronnie Milsap. After that, the actress had a small role in a horror film called "Ghoulies." 

Some of the other TV shows Hargitay has been involved in include "Freddy's Nightmares – A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series," "Baywatch," and "In the Heat of the Night." 

At 62, Hargitay is still looking gorgeous despite being occupied by her role as Olivia Benson and as a full-time mother to her three children. Fans are still stunned to see photos of the actress looking glamorous on whatever occasion she goes to. 

However, Hargitay has been subjected to unfair beauty standards in Hollywood that have targeted aging female celebrities. She has since been ridiculed and called "fat" because of her shape by people on social media. Despite the negative comments, Hargitay has brushed them off and continues to embrace her body, regardless of her size. 

Hargitay inherited her beautiful face from her parents, Mansfield and Mickey, who were both known for their respective reputations as a model and a bodybuilder. Hargitay followed in her mother's footsteps by entering beauty pageants. She was crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA and also competed in the Miss California USA competition. She later attended acting school before launching her career.

She is best known for starring as Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." It was in this role that Hargitay's strong resemblance to her mother became apparent. She even brought it to light when she shared a beautiful photo of her face, side by side with her mother. Hargitay told People Magazine the resemblance to her mother is an honor and tribute to her, and that it helps her feel as if "she is still with me."

Decades later, and a lifetime without her mother, Hargitay reminisced about her career in comparison to her mother's. She said in the same interview: 

"My mother was this amazing, beautiful glamorous sex symbol — but people didn't know that she played the violin and had a 160 IQ and had five kids and loved dogs … She was an inspiration, she had this appetite for life, and I think I share that with her."

After being compared to her mother for the majority of her life, she has now come to embrace the similarities. She said:

"Someone once said about (remembering) my mother: 'All you have to do is look in the mirror.'"

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Hargitay also inherited the maternal instinct that her late mother innately possessed. Although she married her husband, actor Peter Hermann, when she was already in her forties, Hargitay defied the odds and still managed to conceive despite the natural challenges her age presented. Speaking to Self Magazine in 2007, Hargitay was overjoyed when she got pregnant. She told the publication, as quoted by PEOPLE:

"Nobody wanted to be pregnant more than me. From the minute I found out, I was wearing full-on maternity pants. My stomach was totally flat, mind you, but I was just excited."

However, working in a hit television show while also bearing a child didn't come easily for Hargitay. As a result, the actress turned to food to compensate for her energy loss. By the time of her third trimester, she had gained 54 pounds and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, prompting her to overhaul her eating habits. "This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn't mobile. Next time, I want to keep myself as strong as possible, so everything will go easier for me," Hargitay said before talking about her belly pouch:

"After my c-section, I had a pouch on my belly for a long time, which has started going away, but all I can say is that it was a badge of honor. I was so proud of it. I felt like I joined the coolest club in the world—the mom's club."

Hargitay gave birth to August Milkos in 2006, at the age of 42. She then adopted Amaya and Andrew six months apart around 2010 and 2011.

Hargitay will always carry on Mansfield's legacy. But whether that includes cosmetic surgery or treatments remains to be seen. While she isn't against procedures, having once said: "if you want to do something to help you look more refreshed, I'm all for it," she doesn't see the effects of aging as the be-all and end-all.

She told Ladies' Home Journal, according to Style Caster:

"Things are sagging a bit – I'm not going to lie. But am I going to be upset about the sag or am I going to look at my three gorgeous kids and my husband and count my lucky stars?"

Hargitay turned 61 on Jan. 23, 2025, and for her, aging is not something that she nor Captain Olivia Benson fears. She told PEOPLE: "I'm so excited. I announce it constantly," she continued:  "I'm proud of it. I'm stronger than I've ever been. The age thing was never something I was scared of." Hargitay then recalled:

"I didn't get cast (on SVU) until I was 35 and then the show kept going as I aged. At 45, we'd been on for ten years and I just met my husband (when Hermann had a guest role on the show.) The man of my dreams. I got married at 40. I had August (her eldest son) at 42. So it was like defying all the odds."

On an Instagram post that she shared on June 15, 2023, Hargitay posted a throwback photo of herself in an unspecified year. In the picture, the actress wore a cropped white shirt with "Sleeping Beauty" on it. She added the hashtags "#WayBackWednesday and #SleepingBeauty" to the post's caption. As expected, Hargitay's fans rushed to the comments section and talked about how beautiful she was. One of her fans commented:

"Just as beautiful today as you were then 💕."

Another one wrote:

"Beautiful then and beautiful now! 🥰❤️ And that Sleeping Beauty shirt is EVERYTHING! 👑🌹,"

On Jan. 16, 2024, "Law & Order: SVU" celebrated its 25th anniversary with the premiere of Season 25 in New York City. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Hargitay tearfully revealed what she wanted Olivia Benson's legacy to be for the people who have watched her for years. "I hope that her legacy is that she helped a lot of people heal," she emotionally said and continued: "It's too early to cry, people! It's way too early."

Hargitay sparkled like a mirrorball in her sequined dress in the traditional color of the milestone anniversary. She posted a carousel of photos of her look on Instagram, which had her fans singing her praises. One fan raved:

"I know your husband told you, you looked amazing but GIRL YOUR GORGEOUS 60 ain't got nothing on you babyyyyy." 

Hargitay looked ethereal in her look, a fan even proclaimed that "god is a woman,"  while another described her as "effervescent." Even Danish model Helena Christensen commented:

"Wow you're a shimmering beauty ❤️🔥❤️,"

Fans have always been mesmerized by Hargitay's stunning beauty. However, there are a handful who have criticized her for gaining weight over the years. In the past, she has spoken up about the criticism she received from people in Hollywood. While speaking to Ladies' Home Journal, as quoted by Style Caster, in 2013, Hargitay revealed that when she went to auditions, her body and beauty were extensively scrutinized. She recalled:

"I'd go to auditions and the casting directors would be like: You're not tall enough, you're not pretty enough, you're not blonde enough, your nose is too big, your nose is too small, your skin is too dark, your skin is too light, change your name! There was so much rejection. I didn't work for eight years."

Even on social media, people have resorted to insulting the beautiful actress because of her body. a user tweeted:

"Mariska Hargitay was so hot until she got fat and leftist...Satan is real, people."

Another echoed: "Mariska Hargitay is gettin fat." And one user condescendingly suggested: "Mariska Hargitay has gotten quite FAT. For Thanksgiving maybe?" However, no negative comments can affect Hargitay anymore. In a conversation with The Joyful Heart Foundation, Hargitay implored people to look beyond waistlines:

"Your body is not who you are. I don't think women should label themselves based on the way they look. What about defining yourself by a different kind of measurement? What about your heart, your soul, your compassion, your generosity, your strength, and your power? There are so many other things to focus on besides your waistline."

Are you a fan of Mariska Hargitay? What can you say about her journey toward embracing her body and shape? Let us know, and pass this on to family, friends, and other Hargitay fans out there!