How Mariska Hargitay Found Her Partner in Crime in Peter Hermann

The evidence against them: Her future groom made his first guest appearance as defense attorney Trevor Langan on a 2002 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit titled "Monogamy." Hermann and Hargitay then entered their own monogamous relationship after he invited her to church for their first date.

"I’m crying, and he thinks that I’m so moved by the sermon," the Every Brilliant Thing star added. "And I’m crying because I’m like, 'I know I’m going to marry him. I found my husband. I love him.'"

Realizing he didn’t want to investigate a future without her, Hermann still remembers the moment he knew he wanted to marry Hargitay.

Attending her 40th birthday party, "I actually saw Mariska with all of the people that she loved around her," the 59-year-old told People in 2019. "It was like seeing this person who was now in the soil, that she was just dying to be planted in it. Right? Which was this abundance of people and this abundance of love and I thought, 'I want to be part of that soil.'"

So, Hargitay and Hermann planted roots by tying the knot in 2004. She gave birth to son August two years later and grew their family by adopting daughter Amaya and son Andrew in 2011.

"I think my family is my biggest place of success in my life," the 62-year-old said on Call Her Daddy in 2025. “It's everything that I wanted. My husband is everything that I wanted. My husband is my home, my cheerleader, makes me laugh. He can fix anything, and the best dad."

As for the secret to their 22-year marriage, Hargitay has dropped a few clues.

"We listen to each other and root for each other, and challenge each other and are committed and so invested," she told E! News in 2024, "We want the same things, and we cherish our union—that comes first."

And even when things seem out of order, the two make sure to hear each other out.

"My new two favorite words are 'disciplined curiosity,'" Hargitay explained to E! in June. "Really being curious about the other person and how they experience something and really listening. I think that we get fearful, so we tighten up. But my husband is a great listener and an extremely thoughtful person, and he’s taught me so much about that. So if there is ever a disagreement or an argument or we get scared or tight, I know that he will always think about it or think about what I said. So now, I’m like that—that if we disagree on something, I really will try to understand what he means."

Humor also helps.

"It’s sort of everything for us," Hargitay added. "Because if you can joke about it, then there’s a little bit of perspective and it’s another way in and to say, 'I love you. I’m sorry. I’m still here. Can we laugh? Because no matter what, we’re going to figure this out.'"

If you’re still trying to figure out how to watch the 2026 Emmys, tune in to NBC or Peacock Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. EST. Until then, scroll on to read about the nominees.