LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- Pictured: Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson -- NBC Photo: Justin Stephens

Becoming an actress was the furthest thing from Mariska Hargitay’s mind growing up…even though her mother, Jayne Mansfield, was one of Hollywood’s great blonde bombshells and her dad was famed bodybuilder, Mickey Hargitay.

Hargitay just wasn’t interested…until she got bit hard by the acting bug in high school…then there was no stopping her.

Now she’s well into her 11th year on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit playing Detective Olivia Benson and has a big, phat Emmy to show for it.

Click onto media bar for when and why Mariska Hargitay decided to go into acting.

Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesday nights, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.