Mariska Hargitay makes a reported $850,000 per episode as the lead star and an executive producer on “Law & Order: SVU.”
With recent seasons consisting of 21 to 22 episodes, Hargitay could be raking in $17.85 million to $18.7 million per season.
Hargitay’s staggering salary was revealed by Variety ahead of the 600th episode of the NBC show, now in its 28th season, airing Thursday night.
The actress, 62, has played Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: SVU” since the show’s premiere in 1999. She became an executive producer starting with Season 15 in 2014.
Variety also revealed Thursday that Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon each make $2 million an episode for Apple TV’s “The Morning Show.”
Zendaya gets the same amount for her work on “Euphoria,” while Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short each get $1 million per episode for the Hulu comedy “Only Murders in the Building,” according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, Ellen Pompeo previously revealed she makes $20 million a season for “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is in its 23rd season.
In her interview with Variety, Hargitay opened up about the “Law & Order: SVU” celebration dinner for the milestone 600th episode that the current cast and crew, including co-star Christopher Meloni, and creator Dick Wolf all attended.
âIt was one of the most extraordinary, meaningful nights, and unexpectedly so to me,â Hargitay shared.
âDick got up and said, âThis has never happened, and it will never happen again.â And everything just landed that night.â
Hargitay also shared the toast she gave that night.
âHere we are at episode 600, and it really doesnât feel totally real â which in a way is exactly how it should feel, because itâs as if we all get to live in this dream of what you thought might be possible someday,â she said in her speech.
“And youâve shown that itâs not only possible, but itâs so much better than anyone could have imagined,” she added.
In August, Hargitay revealed that around Season 25 in 2024, she had a conversation with former “ER” co-star Julianna Margulies about leaving “Law & Order: SVU.”
“I said, âIâve got to leave the show too. I donât want people to think Iâm a one-trick pony,'” Hargitay recalled to Variety.
But Margulies, 60, responded, “Sweetheart, that shipâs sailed.”
Hargitay has been the undisputed lead star of “Law & Order: SVU” since 2011, following Meloni’s exit from the show.
She’s won one Emmy Award for her performance as Detective Benson.
“Law & Order: SVU” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
