Peter Hermann: Everything to Know About Mariska Hargitay’s Husband & Their Love Story

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Mariska Hargitay has a great gig going on at home. The Law & Order: SVU actress is the proud wife of Peter Hermann, an actor, producer, and writer. Mariska and Peter have been married since 2004, and they’ve expanded their family with three children. They both work in Hollywood, and they’ve even shared the small screen together on SVU!

But of course, Mariska is the much more famous person in the relationship. So here is everything you need to know about Peter, including details about his acting career and the story behind his romance with his wife.

How Did Mariska & Peter Meet?

Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann on June 22, 2004 (Photo: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock)

It couldn’t be more fitting that Mariska actually met her husband on the set of SVU. Mariska has starred in the NBC crime drama series since the beginning as Olivia Benson, while Peter popped in as defense attorney Trevor Langan for the season 3 episode “Monogamy,” which aired on January 4, 2002. The pair fell in love on the set, and they continued to work together as Peter played his character in a recurring capacity until season 11, and then returned for some later seasons.

After meeting, Peter invited Mariska on a first date to church. And from there, Mariska knew this was the man of her dreams. “I just about passed out when I saw him there. I thought, ‘That’s my husband,’ ” she told InStyle in 2015. Mariska also recounted the first date to PEOPLE in 2019. “We went to church together, and it was like getting hit with a lightning bolt,” she said. “I just started sobbing. Peter thought I was crying because I was so moved by the service. No, it was because I was just overwhelmed, realizing he was the one.”

When Did Mariska & Peter Get Married?

Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann at the 2006 SAG Awards (Photo: Picture Perfect/Shutterstock)

After roughly two years of dating, Mariska and Peter said “I do” on August 28, 2004 at the Unitarian Historical Chapel in Santa Barbara, California. Mariska reportedly wore a pale pink Carolina Herrera gown for her special day, with Peter’s initials and the wedding date embroidered into the lining. The nuptials included roughly 200 guests, including actors Christopher Meloni, Jodie Foster, Hilary Swank, and Chad Lowe.

Do Mariska & Peter Have Kids?

Mariska Hargitay and her family at the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 8, 2013 (Photo: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock)

Yes, Mariska and Peter have children. The famous couple are proud parents to three kids, son August Miklos Hermann, 17, daughter Amaya Josephine Hermann, 12, and son Andrew Nicholas Hermann, 11. Mariska gave birth to August on June 28, 2006, while Amaya and Andrew were welcomed via adoption. Mariska and Peter adopted Amaya from Africa after attending her birth. “I basically pulled Amaya out,” Mariska told Good Housekeeping in 2012 about Amya’s birth. The couple adopted Andrew a few months later, after he was born premature. They named their youngest child after a friend who had passed away.

What Does Peter Do for a Living?

Peter is an actor, just like his wife. His career started off with a few brief stints on shows like Guiding Light, Beautiful People, and Angela’s Eyes. He gained wider recognition once he joined Law & Order: SVU as a recurring character. In total, he’s appeared in 33 episodes of the show. Some of the movies Peter has been in include United 93, Trouble with the Curve, and All is Bright.

Of all his roles, Peter is probably best known as Charles Brooks in the TV Land drama Younger. He starred in all seven seasons of the show, which ran from 2015 to 2021. Peter also works as a producer and writer in television, and he published a children’s book, titled If the S in Moose Comes Loose, in March 2018.

Mariska Hargitay’s Top Moments With Her Husband

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Mariska and Peter have enjoyed so many special moments together over the years. They’ve taken many vacations together, both alone and with their kids. The couple has also stepped out for public outings to support one another, such as in 2016 when they attended a gala for Mariska’s charity, Joyful Heart Foundation. Peter and the kids were also by Mariska’s side when she received her Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame back in 2013.

Their love for each other is real, and Peter has said before that “there is no secret” to the success behind the marriage. “We’re all just working through it — whether it’s a relationship that exists in the public eye to some degree or doesn’t,” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2018. “Our son plays basketball and his coach says, ‘Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals,’ and I think when it comes to relationships, the fundamentals, in the end, are not that complicated.”

In August 2023, Mariska and Peter celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary, and she shared a sweet Instagram post to commemorate the occasion.

“19 years. Best dance of my life. Only dance of my life,” Mariska wrote in her caption.

In January 2024, Peter and Mariska attended the New York City Law and Order: SVU 25th anniversary together, where she shined in a sparkling silver dress. The pair, of course, posed for pictures.

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