Getty Images Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story ICYMI, Mariska Hargitay is hosting the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards —and she's the first woman to do so in over a decade! For the big night, the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit legend, herself a multiple-time Emmy nominee and winner, wore a few different hairstyles—including one where she channeled her late mother, the Hollywood legend Jayne Mansfield.
Hargitay, who is best known for her short styles as Detective Olivia Benson, went for a longer length to host the Emmys, adding a few inches to her brunette bob with clip-in and tape-in extensions for length and fullness. For the red carpet and the first portion of the show, her hair was parted in the center and styled in easy waves, which let her subtle, caramel-blonde highlights shine in the Los Angeles sunlight. As Detective Benson, Hargitay's hair is typically styled more seriously, befitting a NYPD detective, but for the Emmys, she leaned into the California vibes with beachy texture.
“For the red carpet, I wanted the hair to feel glamorous without feeling too ‘done,'" Hargitay's hairstylist Adir Aberge l exclusively tells Allure. "We were looking at that early-2000s undone texture—lots of shine, soft cascading waves, and this really natural volume. I added length and body with extensions, then broke everything up so it felt loose, sexy, and effortless. The dress is so sculpted and saturated, so I loved the idea of the hair being this softer, more fluid counterpoint.” Abergel used Virtue products on the actor, including Style-Setting Volumizing Primer to the roots for lift and body, Flourish Thickening Styling Treatment through the mid-lengths for density, and Healing Hair Oil for shine.
Getty Images The Cali-cool waves were a gorgeous contrast against Hargitay's bright red sequined dress, which we could definitely see her mom Jayne Mansfield wearing onscreen in her Hollywood heyday.
Getty Images We had a feeling Hargitay had some surprises up her sleeve for the night, and the biggest one was the sweet ode to her late mother, with a bombshell blowout that was inspired by Mansfield's signature hairstyles. “The look was a little love letter to Jayne Mansfield, Mariska’s glamorous mother with that 1950s, 1960s va-va-voom fullness—hair that feels full, loose, and luxurious with brushed-out softness," Abergel shared. "As the show progressed, I wanted the hair to transform along with Mariska, taking it from a collarbone-grazing length to this super-long, cascading silhouette. The key was keeping all that volume loose and luxurious, with fullness through the ends and a soft, brushed-out roundness rather than anything overly curled or set." A truly gorgeous tribute.