Mariska Hargitay Admits She Regretted Her Pixie Haircut That Almost Cost Her Job on 'Law & Order: SVU'

Mariska Hargitay says a short-lived hairstyle nearly ended her time on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Mariska Hargitay has revealed that one of her biggest beauty missteps nearly cost her role as Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," the series she has starred in for nearly 30 years.

In a recent interview with Allure, the Emmy-winning actress reflected on the lessons she has learned about confidence and self-image during her decades-long career. One particular memory stood out: a drastic haircut she received during the third season of "SVU" in 2002.

"My hairstylist had a glass of wine and I really should have known better," Hargitay told the outlet. "Maybe he'd thought I’d be aerodynamic when I was chasing perps. I have no idea."

The end result was a pixie cut that turned out much shorter than she expected. "We went real short — shorter than anticipated," she explained, adding, "I almost got fired."

Looking back at photos from that period, Hargitay said the hairstyle could be interpreted as "easy, cool, and cop-like." Still, she admitted to Allure that if given the chance, she would "definitely" erase that phase altogether.

Despite the hair mishap, Hargitay’s character has remained one of the most enduring figures on television, with "Law & Order: SVU" returning for its 27th season this fall. New episodes premiere Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, with streaming available the following day on Peacock.

The flagship "Law & Order" series also returns the same evening at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the fifth season of "Law & Order: Organized Crime" at 10 p.m. ET. The spinoff, starring Chris Meloni, moves exclusively to Peacock after its fourth season on NBC.