The & Order: SVU stars became parents later on in life
Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann have been together for almost 20 years, and in their time together they've had the most adorable family.
The two actors met on the set of Law & Order: SVU, and tied the knot in 2004. Together they have three children, two of whom are adopted - August, 17, Amaya, 12, and Andrew, 11.
Even though Mariska became a mom aged 42, she hasn't let being an older mom hold her back in any way. In fact, she admitted in January 2024 that she is: "so grateful that I'm an older mom."
"I don’t know if I could have handled it when I was younger,” she explained. "When I was younger I wasn’t as present but as I’ve gotten older I’ve started to accept and appreciate."
August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, 17
Mariska gave birth to their first child, August, on June 28, 2006.
The actress reflected on how pregnancy at 42 had changed her body: "First time pregnant, you’re like, I gotta eat more! I have to make sure he has enough of every single food group! I did get into eating too much."
She added: "This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn’t mobile. Next time, I want to keep myself as strong as possible, so everything will go easier for me."
August could often be seen visiting his mom on the set of when she was filming in New York City. As he grew up, August started to want siblings - and Mariska and Peter were already considering adoption.
"The stars aligned in a different way", Mariska explained. "August came home from a playdate one day and said, 'I want a baby Iris.' Turns out, the playdate he was on, the child had a baby sister named Iris."
She added: "When he said that, my husband, Peter, and I looked at each other and replied, 'It is so interesting you said that.' When we went ahead with the adoption, August thought it was his idea. Then he wanted a little boy. We said, really? A miracle happened and our second son, Andrew, fell out of the sky and into our home."
Mariska and August have a yearly mother-son tradition of attending the US Open every year, as they're often seen courtside, as a sign of their strong bond.
Amaya Josephine Hermann, 12
Mariska and Peter adopted their daughter Amaya in April 2011, the same month she was born. The star revealed to that she actually attended her daughter's birth, which was an incredibly meaningful moment for the family.
"I basically pulled Amaya out", she revealed. "Peter and I held her, and then the birth mother and I hugged for a long time."
"That was profound. That was one of the most meaningful moments I've ever had in my life."
The choice to adopt was not one Mariska took lightly. In fact, it stemmed from her own experience growing up having lost her mom at a young age.
"I then grew up with my stepmom, and I have half-siblings, and so I know that families can be built in all sorts of different ways, that there isn't just one way to create a family and that it isn't just about biology," she said to PEOPLE.
The Olivia Benson actress revealed that Amaya loved being read to growing up - particularly, she loved the book That's Not My Mermaid, as Mariska confessed: "I think we read it 10 times a day".
Amaya has certainly grown up, and in October 2023 Mariska took her to Taylor Swift's concert film premiere in Los Angeles - which surely earned her some cool points with her daughter.
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Andrew Nicolas Hermann, 12
Six months after Amaya joined the family, Mariska and Peter completed their family with Andrew in October 2011.
According to the couple, their youngest son was "this angel that fell out of the sky, because he was a little unexpected". She revealed that "never in a million years" did they think they would have another child so quickly, but "something inside of us knew that this was right".
Andrew, who was born premature, needed some help with "balance and development" early on, so attended a "Big Muscles class" for support.
As Andrew and Amaya are so close in age, Mariska explained that they felt a close bond immediately. "They'll lie in the crib together, and she'll hold his hand and put her arm around him," she said at the time. "She's already so protective of him."
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