Mariska Hargitay says a haircut almost cost her the role that not only she's best known for, but through which she made television history. Fans of the Law & Order universe have seen the My Mom Jayne director evolve through the years as she has played Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, who she has starred as for over 500 episodes, and who now officially stands as the longest-running character in a primetime drama in television history. But about three years in the role, a bad combination of scissors and wine got her in some serious trouble.
Speaking with Allure about how the pixie cut she had around 2002 and 2003 came to be, she confessed: "My hairstylist had a glass of wine and I really should have known better," adding: "Maybe he'd thought I'd be aerodynamic when I was chasing perps. I have no idea."
"We went real short — shorter than anticipated," she went on, before revealing: "I almost got fired." Scroll below for photos of the now iconic pixie cut, and more photos of Mariska's different hair looks throughout the years.