Mariska Hargitay, 61, rarely sits down for an in-depth interview, but the Law & Order: SVU star made an exception, appearing on the most recent episode of Amy Poehler’sGood Hang podcast. The TV icon, who recently directed the critically acclaimed HBO documentary My Mom Jayne about her mother, actress Jayne Mansfield, talked about everything from why she’s enjoying being in her 60s to the Friends part she tried out for but didn’t get. Hargitay also names the two Law & Order: SVU guest stars she predicted would become Hollywood stars.
Because Law & Order: SVU features a new “ripped from the headlines” story each episode, the long-running NBC drama has featured hundreds of guest stars throughout its 27-season run. Many of those guest stars were actors at the beginning of their careers. For some future stars like Pitch Perfect’s Elizabeth Banks, Modern Family’s Ty Burrell, or Mamma Mia!’s Amanda Seyfried, all of whom appeared as guest stars on Law & Order: SVU.
Getting cast as a guest star on SVU is seen as a big break for many actors.
Abigail Breslin: Undeniable Talent at a Young Age
During her conversation with Mariska Hargitay, Amy Poehler asks the TV veteran if she predicted any of the show’s many guest stars had what it takes to become famous. Hargitay quickly named Little Miss Sunshine star Abigail Breslin, who portrayed Patty Branson in the Season 6 episode “Birthright” in 2004.
Hargitay reveals she was “astonished” by the then-seven-year-old actress and was particularly impressed with Breslin’s ability to switch between playful moments and performing emotional scenes with remarkable skill.
Related: Debbie Downer Was Inspired by This Real-Life Awkward Moment, Says Rachel Dratch
Meghann Fahey: “You’re Gonna Be A Huge Star”
Hargitay also names White Lotus and Sirens star Meghann Fahey, who appeared in the 2014 episode “Downloaded Child.” Hargitay shares she was particularly struck by Fahey’s “internal sparkle” and told her directly that she was going to be a movie star.
“I’m just gonna tell you right now, you’re gonna be a big movie star. You’re gonna be a huge star,” Hargitay recounted telling Fahey and shared how exciting it’s been to see the actress’ career flourish.
Both actresses have gone on to prolific careers on TV and in film. Hargitay’s accurate predictions are not wasted on her, as she shared with Poehler, “I called it.”
Olivia Benson never misses—and clearly neither does Mariska Hargitay.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
