Mariska Hargitay Is Striking with Reddish Brown Hair and Bangs (PIC)
The SVU star shined during a 1997 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno appearance.
In 1997, Mariska Hargitay was still years away from debuting as the now-iconic Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Back then, she had a small role in the hit series ER, and some seriously gorgeous hair!
Let’s take you back to her first-ever appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — November 7, 1997, to be exact. Hargitay showed off one of her all-time best looks when she stepped onto the set wearing a black and red dress, reddish-brown hair (with bangs!), and her trademark stunning smile.
Hargitay was 33 years old at the time, and we really can't get over that hairstyle. It's literally perfect on her! Not everybody can pull off bangs, but Hargitay did it with a degree of carefreeness that is so difficult to do.
(We wonder if she'll consider bringing back that hairdo in 2025?)
The star has sported countless hairstyles throughout her career, and her late-'90s bangs stand out as one of her best!
We’re so obsessed with her look that we've actually tracked down footage from her original Tonight Show appearance in its entirety, and it's incredible.
RELATED: Benson and Stabler's Angsty First Meeting After Their Near-Kiss Is So Full of Longing
As soon as Hargitay sat down next to Leno, he admitted to — and apologized for — mispronouncing her name when he recorded promos earlier in the week. It wasn't the first and definitely wouldn't be the last time someone didn’t know how to say Hargitay's name.
"I believe, Jay, you called me ‘Moesha,'" she said with a smile
"Well, it is a tricky name the first time you see it," he confessed.
Watch Mariska Hargitay’s 1997 Tonight Show appearance here.
The entire 7-minute interview is a gold mine of adorable Hargitay moments. From talking about her childhood to describing her first on-screen kiss to even doing a little flirting with Leno himself, she showed all the unbelievable charisma and likeability that made her one of TV's all-time most beloved actresses.
Mariska Hargitay is pushing for Taylor Swift to cameo on SVU
Could SVU fans see the biggest pop star in the world appear in a future episode? Hargitay is certainly pushing for it! In an October 2024 discussion with E! News, Hargitay went on the record by not only saying that Taylor Swift appearing on the show is a possibility, but it's a tantalizing idea that she admits she's not letting go of anytime soon.
"We can certainly dream, can't we?" she said but quickly squashed any immediate rumors before they got out of control.
"She's very busy," Hargitay conceded, but not before giving fans that she's personally rooting for it to happen: "But I'm not letting it go."
As longtime fans know, Hargitay is one of Swift's biggest supporters. In fact, she considers herself a certified Swiftie! Conversely, the pop sensation is a huge SVU fan. She loves the show so much that she named her pet cat Olivia Benson!
