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Mariska Hargitay Shares Name's Meaning and Family Tales

10/23/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Mariska Hargitay, the Law & Order star, explained on Amy Poehler's Good Hang that her name is a nickname for Maria meaning "Little Maria" in Hungarian.
Hargitay recalled a lunch where a cousin mispronounced her name, and she chose not to correct him.
To avoid on-set confusion, she wrote "Marishhhhka" on call sheets.
She discussed a documentary about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, which premiered on HBO Max.

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Story summary

Mariska Hargitay, the Law & Order star, explained on Amy Poehler's Good Hang that her name is a nickname for Maria meaning "Little Maria" in Hungarian.
Hargitay recalled a lunch where a cousin mispronounced her name, and she chose not to correct him.
To avoid on-set confusion, she wrote "Marishhhhka" on call sheets.
She discussed a documentary about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, which premiered on HBO Max.