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 Abergel 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.
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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.
