SVU since its premiere in 1999, and playing Olivia Benson has had a significant impact on her. The actress has starred in the procedural drama, which has more than 550 episodes, and knowing about all the cases covered on the show has affected Hargitay personally.

Special Victims Unit” character, played by Mariska Hargitay, is now part of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American

Actress Mariska Hargitay, who stars as Capt. Olivia Benson, and show creator Dick Wolf attended a ceremony at the Smithsonian on Monday.

The actress/producer told Selena Gomez for Interview magazine that bringing her character Olivia Benson to life for more than two decades has taken its toll on her personal life. She has played the character for more than 550 episodes of the “Law and Order” spinoff series, which is the longest-running primetime drama series of all-time.

She reveals experiencing secondary trauma and the importance of founding her organization to support survivors.