Mariska Hargitay is about to get a significant honor.
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star will receive the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award at the 30th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival.
This is a great honor for the actress, who has striven to be an advocate for various women’s rights groups and uses her role as Olivia Benson to bring attention to important issues.
It comes as the actress prepares for Season 24 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, with the first episode seemingly doing a story based on a recent (and huge) celebrity trial.
That will highlight another strong year for Hargitay as she continues her work on the iconic NBC series.
Aside from being the only member of the original Law & Order: Special Victims Unit cast from when the show began in 1999, Mariska Hargitay is also the most honored.
Mariska Hargitay and her honors
Hargitay is the only regular cast member from any Law & Order series to receive an Emmy Award, winning Best Lead Actress in a Drama in 2006.
The actress has been nominated for several other awards, such as the Screen Actor Guild and Golden Globe. In addition, she has earned a People’s Choice Award and four Gracie Allen Awards for her work on the series.
Now, Hargitay will be honored with the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award at the upcoming Hamptons International Film Festival.
Named after the beloved television host/producer, the award honors those “who excel in their field, but who also support the arts and artists, particularly in film, television and related media.”
In a statement, HamptonsFilm Executive Director Anne Chaisson shared why Hargitay was chosen for the honor.
“We are so thrilled to be able to honor Mariska Hargitay at this year’s anniversary. A role model for many across the globe for her acting career and her championing of causes around domestic violence, Mariska embodies everything the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award was created to represent. She is also a huge supporter of local Hamptons causes and we are lucky to have her as part of our community.”
The festival is celebrating its 30th year, beginning on October 7 and will run through October 22. There is no word on which specific night of the festival Hargitay’s honor will take place.
Hargitay busy on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
While she noted the honor on her Twitter feed, Hargitay is busy filming Season 24 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Pictures from the set indicate that an upcoming episode will be a take on the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, no doubt with an SVU twist.
The actress has also enjoyed posting some videos of herself exploring New York City amid filming. At the same time, rumors buzz that a crossover between Law & Order and Law & Order: Organized Crime may occur.
The series has added Molly Burnett in a recurring role of a new detective who might end up joining the SVU squad.
With a major honor coming her way and a record Season 24 about to begin, the fall looks to be a busy time for Hargitay to continue her amazing run on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Law & Order Special Victims Unit Season 24 premieres Thursday, September 22 at 9/8c on NBC.