Mariska Hargitay’s Husband Peter Hermann Proposes Onstage During Cameo in Her Final “Every Brilliant Thing” Broadway Show
Mariska Hargitay’s Husband Peter Hermann Proposes Onstage During Cameo in Her Final “Every Brilliant Thing” Broadway Show
Escher WalcottMon, July 6, 2026 at 11:25 AM UTC
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Peter Hermann and Mariska HargitayCredit: brilliantbway/Instagram; Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic -
Mariska Hargitay’s husband Peter Hermann made a surprise cameo in her final Broadway performance of Every Brilliant Thing on Sunday, July 5
Hermann appeared as the character Sam, with the star proposing to his wife during one scene
The couple, married since 2004, shared a heartfelt moment onstage as Hermann presented her with flowers and said, “I love you”
A very special surprise guest joined Mariska Hargitay for her final performance in the Broadway show Every Brilliant Thing.
The Law & Order: SUVstar’s husband, Peter Hermann, made a surprise appearance alongside her onstage at the Hudson Theater in New York City for Hargitay’s final show on Sunday, July 5 —and the scene in question was very much art imitating life.
In a video posted on Every Brilliant Thing’s official Instagram page, Hermann, 58, who appeared as the character Sam, held hands with Hargitay, 62, onstage as they performed the hilarious scene together.
“I showed Sam this is where I used to walk Groucho Barx. And I thought that Sam had stopped to tie his shoe,” Hargitay said, pulling Hermann to the ground on his knee as the audience laughed. She continued, “Because when I turned around, Sam said—”
Hargitay then turned around to face Hermann as he looked up at her while still bent over on one knee. He remained silent for a few seconds, appearing not to know the next line to say, as the audience continued laughing.
Hermann finally said, “Will you marry me?” Hargitay replied, “And I said, ‘Yes! Let’s kiss now.”
Hermann stood up and the couple kissed and embraced as the audience cheered.
In a second clip shared, Hargitay stood solo onstage to a standing ovation at the end of her final performance. She took a bow and jumped off stage to hug Hermann before returning onstage to thank the audience. Hermann then came up onstage and presented Hargitay with a huge bouquet, as he told her, “I love you.”
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Hargitay made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing on May 26, taking over Daniel Radcliffe's original run.
She stars as unnamed narrator in the solo show, in which "a person looks back at their life and the glimmers of hope that carried them through. All told through a list of every wonderful, beautiful, and delightful thing—big, small, and everything in between—that makes life worth living," per the show's website.
The actress said that the opportunity to star in the show took her by surprise in a June 24 interview on the Making Space with Hoda Kotb podcast.
"It really came and grabbed me, and I had no idea what was happening," said Hargitay. "It was one of the most beautiful and emotional and poignant and hilarious and meaningful and life-affirming plays ever that I loved, and I just couldn't believe my good fortune to go in after Daniel Radcliffe."
Hargitay added of her experience, "Being brave and being courageous and to feel those feelings again and not know what's gonna happen was so incredibly exciting. Terrifying, yet exciting.”
Tracee Ellis Ross takes over from Hargitay from July 7, with performances through Aug. 9.
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Hargitay and Hermann tied the knot in 2004 and share three children: sons August, 18, and Andrew, 13, and daughter, Amaya, 14.
In a June 10 interview with E! News, Hargitay shared the key to her long-lasting marriage, “I feel so blessed in that department. My two new favorite words are ‘disciplined curiosity.' Really being curious about the other person and how they experience something and really listening.”
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