Mariska Hargitay has ventured out into new career lanes lately.
The Law & Order star opened up on Today about recent obstacles she's faced as she's embarked into new creative territories.
The actress revealed to Savannah Guthrie: "I am somebody to take on new challenges."
Mariska recalled the moment she was backstage during her Broadway play, Every Brilliant Thing, when she got a phone call from the head of the NBC network right before she was supposed to go onstage.
© Getty ImagesThe entertainer joked: "I thought, 'I should answer this. Am I getting fired?'"
Mariska got the news that she was being offered the role of host for the upcoming Emmys, and she was in complete disbelief, and commented: "At first I thought she was kidding. I actually thought she was kidding. And then she wasn't."
The performer didn't immediately get on board with the idea and she revealed that it "took me a while to process it."
© Getty ImagesShe had difficulty understanding why the position was on the table for her when it mostly goes to comedians.
Mariska recalled: "I couldn't understand it because I thought, 'I'm not a comedian and it's historically comedians.' It was probably the farthest thing from my mind that I thought she was gonna say. So I actually was kind of shocked."
She slept on the idea for the weekend and decided to take a leap of faith, expressing: "Why not? Which is kind of where I am in my life. And I was so incredibly honored, and again, knowing that it was the first woman in 15 years [to host the Emmys], was absolutely thrilling."
© Getty ImagesMariska also revealed what it was like performing on Broadway, calling it "extraordinary."
She shared: "I really loved it…I sort of said yes to it and then as we started rehearsal I thought, 'What have I done? A one-woman show for an hour and a half on stage.'"
Mariska added: "I loved it and I learned so much from it. I loved sitting with the material for that long, it was such a gift."
On top of that, the star also appeared in a regional theater play for which her sister served as the artistic director.
© Getty ImagesShe reflected: "It was really amazing going back to the material in a month and realizing how much I loved it and how much I missed it. But also how after a month, everything sort of settles in you differently, and they were three different shows."
Savannah interjected: "Did you remember it?" Mariska joked: "I did remember it. Was I terrified about not remembering it? Yes!"
She concluded: "But it was extraordinary and I loved it and I'm so grateful and I cannot believe the summer that I've had."
