A rare picture of Mariska Hargitay hugging her 12-year-old daughter was released.
Amaya Hermann was adopted many years before Mariska Hargitay had a scary experience when the mother who was going to give her child to her changed her mind.
The actor became a loving mother to the sweet little girl after an African-American mother left her child with her. She is now thankful for having a family with people of different races.
The 59-year-old actor Mariska Hargitay is best known for her role as Alicia Silverstone on the hit TV show “Law & Order.” Hermann is married to fellow actor Peter Hermann, 55, and they have three children together: August, Andrew, and Amaya Josephine Hermann. The actor usually doesn’t talk about her family, and she wants her kids to stay out of the spotlight.
On July 1, however, the actress’s close friend posted two photos on Instagram of herself hanging out at the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant with Mariska Hargitay and some of the star’s family. In the first photo, the friend and the actress were laughing and posing together. Marika Hargitay, her husband, one of her boys, and her daughter Amaya, who turned 12 this year, were all huddled together in the second picture.
Hedy Lamarr was 42 years old when she had her first child. A medical term for a certain age range that means a woman is more likely to have problems during pregnancy. After giving birth to her first boy, August, she and her husband started talking about having another child. This was because August wanted a big family and because she and her husband wanted a big family.
The couple began to look into their choices with adoption agencies once they decided to adopt. Hargitay said they found a great, smart adoption lawyer who helped them start their journey.
The family got even bigger when Andrew, a surprise baby, was born.
A full five-hour house visit was required as part of the adoption process. The couple had to go through a lot of false starts, which made the whole thing difficult. What Hargitay said:
“Some things didn’t work out in some cases.” Numerous types of problems.
But after calmly waiting and going through the different rounds of visits and disappointments, a small glimmer of hope appeared. The parents-to-be heard about a young woman who was pregnant and going to have a girl. This was perfect for Hargitay, who wants to have a daughter one day.
They had tried to adopt and add to their family about three times before this case, so the “Leaving Las Vegas” actress did her best not to get her hopes up. But when she met the mom-to-be, she couldn’t help but be excited because she thought the mother was amazing, smart, and bright.
Peter Hermann, Mariska Hargitay, Tshidi Manye, and August backstage at “The Lion King” on Broadway in New York City in 2010 | Source: Getty Images
After a month of talking on the phone, the mom, who was now in labor, called Hargitay on the “Law & Order SVU” set to tell her to go to the hospital right away. The visit went very well.
The couple was given what was meant to be their bundle of joy after the birth. They had two days to bond with the baby and even chose a name for the little girl. Meanwhile, Hargitay remembered:
“The birth mother chose differently.” It was nothing less than terrible.”
They had no choice but to give the baby back to her real mother, which was a terrible thing to have to do. Their luck changed for the better, though, when their lawyer and social worker told them some great news that made Hargitay cry happy tears.
They found a mother who was expecting and ready to give up her child for adoption. Even the couple’s office staff, who said the new mom was “amazing,” couldn’t deny the feeling that this was finally the time for adoption to work out for them.
After a great first phone call, the birth mother and the couple met in person, and Hargitay said she was blown away by how wonderful the woman was.
There was a set for “Law & Order SVU” in New York City in 2011 with Mariska Hargitay and Amaya Josephine Hermann. Images: Getty Images
Even though they were beyond thrilled about having a second child, the couple couldn’t help but be a little scared about the same thing happening again.
But the real mother told Hargitay that she was sure she would become the mother of her child. The woman was African American, but neither of the people concerned cared about her race. According to Hargitay:
“We were thrilled to have a family with people of different races because that’s how the world is, and we want our family to be a true reflection of the world.”
The Hargitay-Hermann family had a baby girl in April 2011. Her name, Amaya, means princess, fighter, and night rain in different languages. As soon as Amaya came, Hargitay talked about how happy she and her family were, including August, her four-and-a-half-year-old son. This is what she said:
“I’m crazy with happiness. At birth, she was surprisingly aware and full of love… August is thrilled. He calls her his baby because he say the whole thing was his idea, and he always says he’ll look out for her.
August Amaya, Andrew Hermann, Mariska Hargitay, and August Amaya at the 5th annual family fair at the Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton in 2013 | Source: Getty Images
The family got even bigger when Andrew, a surprise baby, was born. While Hargitay and her husband were being checked on with their new baby, their lawyer told them that they had a good chance of adopting another baby, this time a boy, if they were willing.
The couple immediately made it clear that they wanted to adopt him, and Andrew joined their family soon after his bigger sister Amaya. During a sit-down interview, Hargitay talked about her and her husband’s choice to have more children.
“It’s funny, I always keep our kids so to myself, but I think the simplest answer is that we just wanted a bigger family and feel so blessed.”
Even though it was hard for Mariska Hargitay and Hermann to adopt, their persistence paid off. The couple is grateful for the wonderful life they have with their lovely mixed-race family.
