Olivia Benson — and by extension, Mariska Hargitay herself — has a pretty fervent fanbase, so it’s unsurprising that fans are taking to social media to praise the actress’ real-life heroism. On X (formerly known as Twitter), user @Anna_Snackz made an extremely solid point: “it’s actually so important for kids to know that if they’re ever lost in a crowd they should look around for Mariska Hargitay.” @Jeremy_Baker, meanwhile, pointed out that this would make a perfect storyline for the actual show: “Mariska Hargitay stopped filming while on location for ‘Law & Order SVU’ because a lost child mistook her for a real police office. She spent 20 minutes helping the child get reunited with her family. If I’m the director, I keep filming. That’s tonight’s episode.”
User @selinameyer joked, “mariska hargitay clocking into do a double shift last week,” and @NotSoNiceville agreed that Hargitay should be depended on for assistance at all times: “I would probably also go to Mariska Hargitay for help.” @LewisJohnY2 agreed, saying, “This kid has the right idea, I’d trust Mariska Hargitay with my life.”
Clearly, Mariska Hargitay is a hero on and off-camera — the actress has also been a powerful force against real-life sexual assault and abuse, even creating the Joyful Heart Foundation to help survivors who have experienced that trauma. Helping a lost child locate her mom is just one of the incredible things Hargitay has done while cameras aren’t rolling … and it’s safe to say Olivia Benson would have done the same.