Mariska Hargitay is part of a new kind of S.V.U.—the special visitors unit.

The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star brightened up one happy couple’s wedding day when she stumbled upon their photos while in character as Olivia Benson.

In video of the moment shared to Instagram Oct. 1, Hargitay—sporting a gray peacoat, black pants and her character’s NYPD badge—ran up to the unsuspecting couple, who posed in their wedding day attire outside the New York County Supreme Court.

The actress was on the case, too, making sure to lean into the bride and groom with a wide smile.

Of course, in her 28 seasons of filming the beloved NBC procedural, Hargitay has made her mark with other legendary fan interactions. In fact, she crashed another wedding photoshoot in March 2024 moments after a couple filed their papers in NYC.

After posing for a couple pictures, she quipped in a video of the moment shared by Splash News at the time, “I’m your wedding present.” 

But while Hargitay—who is set to reunite with costar Christopher Meloni on SVU this season—enjoys making special memories with newlyweds in Manhattan, she has also been able to use her decades of experience as a fictional cop to help in real-life emergencies.

In April 2024, the 62-year-old—mom to kids August, 20, Amaya, 15, and Andrew, 15, with husband Peter Hermann—was filming one of the final episodes of SVU’s 25th season in a city park when a lost young girl approached her looking for her mom. 

After Hargitay helped the child reconnect with her mom, she reflected on what she believed was a destined moment.

"We were meant to connect at the moment we did,” she told Entertainment Tonight the following month. “This little angel girl was in need and we connected and I could see that.”

And Hargitay doesn’t necessarily see herself as heroic. As she put it, “I did what any mother on this planet would do. I got to hug her mom and her, and it was beautiful.”

Read on for a look back at Hargitay throughout her years on SVU, including her special bond with Meloni. 

Christopher Meloni reunited with his former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit costar Mariska Hargitay after his Organized Crime spinoff was canceled in April 2025.

"What one does on a random Thursday when still in LA and freshly unemployed," he quipped on Instagram. "Dinner hang with pals."

Meloni and Hargitay teamed up to present at the 2025 Emmys, where the actress joked to her former costar that he'll "never have" one.

Meloni showed his support for Hargitay at the premiere of her 2025 documentary My Mom Jayne.

The two snapped a sweet selfie as they reunited on the set of Law & Order: SVU in March 2025.

In 2021, Hargitay and Meloni woke up early to promote a new season of their Law & Order shows on NBC's Today.

Before announcing one of the biggest winners of the night, the 2022 Emmys presenters had a little fun onstage at the Microsoft Theatre. 

The former Law & Order: SVU costars stopped by the Backstage Creations giving suite at the 2022 Emmys, where they have some fun dressing up in their comfortable Spirit Hoods.

"Sunday night dinner," Hargitay shared alongside a selfie of herself and Meloni, who she starred with on Law & Order: SVU for 12 seasons before the actor left the series in 2011.

Hargitay posed this snap with her bestie while on vacation in December 2018. "Vacay...A great night with this one," she wrote at the time. "#Reunited #OldFriends #PTL."

In May 2018, Meloni and Hargitay hung out together in New York City.

"Crazy ppl on the streets of nyc," Meloni captioned this selfie fail.

You could say 2017 was a blur for these two, as seen in this candid selfie shared during the holidays.

The two pals ran into one another after Thanksgiving in 2017, 

Stabler and Benson finally taking their relationship to the next level? Nope, it was just Meloni planting a friendly kiss on Hargitay.

"Even the effortless moments..." Meloni captioned the previous photo only to follow it up with this funny picture and the caption, "...need to be rehearsed." 

Hargitay shared this sweet snap in honor of her former TV partner's birthday in April 2017 and said "PFL" at the end of the note—because Stabler and Benson are partners for life!

"And then that happened...Just when I thought Valentine's Day was over," Hargitay wrote alongside this kissing picture from Valentine's Day in 2017.

In 2016, the real-life friends celebrated Christmas together.

"Lean on me #PFL #FacialHairDontCare #Hargoatee #HanginWithAFriend #ItsAllInTheEyesKid," Hargitay wrote on this precious picture.

In 2015, in the dark of night, New York City's greatest detectives, err, we mean friends, reunited once again and posed for an epic photo.

In March 2014, the duo reunited for dinner—proving that they will always be partners, even if they aren't acting alongside one another anymore.