Mariska Hargitay Shares Son's Bewildered Reaction to Mom's Adoring Fan Encounters

Mariska Hargitay

Most people know Mariska Hargitay and her longtime role as Captain Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, with the character seen as a hero for many. On top of that, people also praise Hargitay for her personal work helping others, notably starting the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2004, which continues to do great work aiding survivors of abuse in a variety of ways.

Because of this, it's no wonder people often approach Hargitay on the street to tell her how much she means to them, but it seems like the actress' 12-year-old son Andrew doesn't understand the hype.

While speaking with People to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Law & Order: SVU, the star recalled a funny moment with her son when he asked her about her adoring fans.

“He thinks I play a cop on TV, end of story," Hargitay explained. "So he asked ‘Why does everyone say "I love you" when we're walking down the street?'"

At only 12 years old, Andrew probably has a while before he will be able to tune into Law & Order: SVU himself to learn more about his mom's character, but for now, she managed to impress her youngest with an anime movie she did a voiceover for.

Hargitay voiced one of the characters in the English version of 2006's Tales From Earthsea. Noting that Andrew "loves anime now," Hargitay told the publication, "We sat and watched it. And I'm sitting on the couch with my 12-year-old son who, first of all, the movie's good, but he just thought it was the coolest thing.”

"So for him to see me in this movie that he loves, he said ‘Mom, it's such a cool character.’...I just sat there going, ‘I don't know that life gets better than this moment,'" she went on.

Along with Andrew, Hargitay shares daughter Amaya, 12, and son August, 17, with husband Peter Hermann.

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