Mariska Hargitay Helps Lost Child Who Mistook Her For Real Cop On 'SVU' Set

Mariska Hargitay played a real-life hero when she helped a lost child who approached her on the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit last week.

Hargitay, who stars as Capt. Olivia Benson, was filming one of the final episodes of the shows 25th season when a lost girl approached her in a New York City park thinking she was a real police officer due to her characters badge, according to People magazine .

The matter reportedly began after the girl and mother got separated at the playground in Manhattans Fort Tryon Park, leading to a 20-minute pause in production as the SVU star helped the two reunite, a witness said.

The girl reportedly was unaware of the film cameras and SVU star Ice-T around her.

Hargitay has spent quite a bit of time perfecting her character and in an Entertainment Weekly story published in February remarked that its so different looking back at video of her and Christopher Meloni from the first season.

Well, were so young, and its got a cute vibe, she said. Its so sweet and innocent, and I love that. If you gave us that same scene and we did it now, it would be oh so different.

But I love looking at the beginning, so we can really sit in appreciation of the evolution of these characters. And the evolution especially of Olivia Benson, and the maturity, and this woman growing into her power. Its beautiful.