Mariska Hargitay Reflects on Past Injuries and Their Impact

NEW YORK, NY — Mariska Hargitay has spent over two decades portraying Olivia Benson in NBC‘s hit series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. While she brings strength to her character, Hargitay has faced significant physical challenges behind the scenes.

Hargitay recently opened up about her experiences with injuries on set, particularly a serious incident in 2008 where she suffered a collapsed lung during a stunt. In an interview, she described how her determination to perform her own stunts led to the accident. “I was doing a stunt chasing a bad guy. I’d always insisted on doing the stunts my own way,” she recalled. “I jumped and landed on pads, but on the second take, something happened. I just landed wrong.”

Initially, Hargitay thought she had only knocked the wind out of herself. She continued filming, believing the pain would subside. “I got up and felt that something inside was not quite right. I was angry with myself. Later, I thought maybe I’d pulled a muscle,” she said. However, further medical evaluation revealed the injury was more severe. A few months later, she underwent surgery but soon faced another collapse.

This rare complication, which occurs in about one in every 1,000 cases, motivated her to change how she approached her work. “After having a child, I realized how fragile life can be,” Hargitay said. Now, she allows professional stunt performers to handle dangerous scenes, prioritizing her health and safety.

Despite her challenges, Hargitay has embraced the lessons learned from these experiences. Speaking with Redbook, she expressed gratitude for her journey. “I think you learn to feel grateful when you are exposed at such a young age to the fact that bad things can happen,” Hargitay reflected. “I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”

Season 23 of Law & Order: SVU premieres January 8 on NBC, and Hargitay continues to inspire fans with her resilience.