It’s no secret that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is celebrated in part thanks to its impressive roster of celebrity guest appearances. But only eagle-eyed fans may know that Mariska Hargitay’s cousin is one of those powerhouse guest stars.
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Recent seasons of SVU have been miniature family reunions since Hargitay’s cousin started his recurring guest role at the 16th Precinct. The squad brushes shoulders with dozens of perps and baddies during their day-to-day grind, but Hargitay’s cousin plays a more benevolent character opposite his history-making family member.
Hargitay has been bumping shoulders with her cousin on-screen since 2018, but some fans may have missed it.
Who does Mariska Hargitay’s cousin Eddie Hargitay play on Law & Order: SVU?
Hargitay’s cousin, Eddie Hargitay, has played Officer Eddie Montero on Law & Order: SVU since the Season 19 finale.
Officer Montero made his first appearance in Season 19’s two-part season finale (“Remember Me” and “Remember Me Too”), when the squad tackled a not-what-it-seems case after Lourdes Vega (Genesis Rodriguez) — a woman who was previously kidnapped and forced into sex trafficking — got her revenge.
During the investigation and subsequent scuffle, Montero was briefly held hostage by Vega, who panicked once the SVU was on her trail. After Montero saw the gun pointed at his head, he begged Benson for help and pled with Vega to consider his wife and kid at home.
Benson navigated the situation like a professional, successfully getting Vega to let Montero go so the squad could get her the help she needed.
What’s happened to Eddie Hargitay’s Eddie Montero on Law & Order: SVU?
Since his first appearance in Season 19, Eddie has guest starred in several other SVU episodes, often lending a hand on a case or catching up with the detectives in the evidence locker (where he is frequently found).
He made his first post-Season 19 appearances in Season 20, Episode 9 (“Mea Culpa”); Season 20, Episode 10 (“Alta Kockers”); and Season 23, Episode 4 (“One More Tale Of Two Victims”).
Eddie recently made two appearances in the historic Season 25 of SVU. His first pop-up was in Episode 7 (“The Probability of Doom”) when the squad worked the case of a dismembered pedophile.
His latest appearance was in the Season 25 finale (“Duty to Hope”) when Fin Tutuola (Ice T) visited the evidence locker to turn in the gun of a kid who recently shot him, later passing out from blood loss while chit-chatting about Montero’s kid. Luckily, Montero was there to rush to Fin’s aid.
Later in the episode, the squad and other NYPD officers rushed to the home of a serial rapist, where the assailant rained bullets on the officers from his upstairs window. Montero was shot during the pandemonium, but Benson ran to his side to pull him to safety.
He did get patched up, and Hargitay proved yet again that she’ll always have her family’s back, on-screen or off.
How is Eddie Hargitay related to SVU star Mariska Hargitay?
Eddie is the nephew and godson of Mickey Hargitay, Mariska Hargitay’s father — the famed 1950s actor and Mr. Universe. According to his IMDb bio, Eddie was born in Hollywood and raised by his Thai-Chinese mother and Hungarian father, both first-generation immigrants. Eddie is also a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio and an avid motorcycle enthusiast.
In honor of wrapping Season 25 of SVU, Eddie Hargitay took to Instagram to share a heartwarming picture of him with his cousin, in which Mariska Hargitay squeezes him while beaming ear to ear in her Benson get-up.
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Eddie Hargitay isn’t the only member of the family to make an appearance on the NBC nail-biter. Mickey Hargitayalso guest starred in 2003’s Season 5, Episode 9 (“Control”) before his death in 2006.
Marsiak Hargitay also met her husband, Peter Hermann, through his recurring role on SVU. He’s appeared in several seasons as Defense Attorney Trevor Langan.
Eddie Hargitay’s Movies and TV Shows
Aside from his stint as Law & Order: SVU‘s Officer Eddie Montero, Eddie Hargitay has appeared in other short films and television shows.
Some of his notable on-screen appearances include playing: Kenneth in two episodes of the 2001 series FreakyLinks; Tracii Guns in the 2007 miniseries It’s a Mall World; and Wolverine in the 2010 TV series Ultradome.
RELATED: Look Back at Mariska Hargitay’s Acting Credits Besides Law & Order: SVU
He is also a writer and producer, helping create the 2013 television series Perspectives and serving as an associate producer for Hugh Laurie’s Live on the Queen Mary 2013 concert.
Though he is uncredited as a chanting fighter in David Fincher’s 1999 flick Fight Club, the Eddie Harigtay actually earned his SAG status while working on the film.
Keep your eyes peeled for a Hargitay family reunion by watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC and Peacock.
