Mariska Hargitay has been playing beloved TV character Olivia Benson for almost half of her life, and while it “has surpassed my wildest dreams,” she admitted it has taken a toll. In a conversation with Selena Gomez for Interview magazine,

Selena Gomez recently opened up about her desire to be a mother. The singer-actor is now seeking parenting advice from Mariska Hargitay. The “Law & Order: SVU” star shares three children with Peter Hermann — two sons,

"When I started the show, I wasn’t aware of how deeply it would go into me," Hargitay admits of her experience shooting 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' Mariska Hargitay is opening up about the real-life impact of solving sex crimes on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

"There's been times when I didn't know how to protect myself, and I think I was definitely a victim of secondary trauma from being inundated with these stories and knowing that they were true."