Mariska Hargitay is hanging up her badge for the night and getting dolled up as she prepares to host the Emmys.
The “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star — who has earned eight Emmy nominations and one win for her nearly three-decade role as Detective-turned-Captain Olivia Benson — was announced Tuesday as the host of this year’s 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, according to a press release. Like the myriad “Law & Order” iterations, the ceremony will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.
“Bringing important stories into the light has been the heartbeat of my career. It’s my great honor to host the 78th Emmy Awards — in the 100th birthday year of my beloved NBC — and celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers,” said the “My Mom Jayne” director.
In addition to playing Olivia since 1999, Hargitay has directed nine episodes of “SVU” since 2014. It was also that year that she started serving as producer of the show — the longest-running primetime live-action drama — and in 2016, took on the role of executive producer.
“Mariska has earned her place among television’s icons,” said Jen Neal, EVP, Live Events & Specials, NBC & Peacock. “Few performers have left the kind of mark on television that Mariska has. … As NBC celebrates 100 years of unforgettable storytelling, we can’t think of anyone more fitting to help celebrate the incredible legacy of television.”
News of Hargitay’s hosting gig comes a day before Emmy nominations are announced Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Hargitay on Sunday ended her run on Broadway in the one-person show, “Every Brilliant Thing,” passing the baton to Tracee Ellis Ross, who began her own run Tuesday. “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe originated the current Broadway production, which earned him a Tony nomination.
Hargitay recently sprinted 10 blocks from the theater after curtain to witness the New York Knicks narrowly clinch Game 4 of the NBA Finals, alongside Taylor Swift.
The pop superstar, 36, famously named one of her cats after Olivia, and featured Hargitay in her “Bad Blood” music video.
Hargitay’s hair stylist Chris McMillan this weekend showed off the actress’ “fresh” haircut for Swift’s star-studded July 3 wedding to Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, which Hargitay attended with husband Peter Hermann.
She and the “Younger” star, 58, married in 2004, two years after meeting on the set of “SVU” in 2002, the first of many times he’s played the role of defense attorney Trevor Langan.