Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann Opened up about the Key to Their Long-Lasting Love Story

For this week’s issue of People magazine, Mariska Hargitay will feature as the cover story. In the publication, the actress and her husband opened up about their long-term relationship.

Mariska Hargitay, 55, and her husband Peter Hermann, 51, are two celebrities who seem to have found the secret to a long-lasting relationship. The couple spoke to People for the issue that will come out on Friday.

The famous couple revealed that they’ve been together for 18 years. They’ve been married for 15 of those years and are still going strong.

The couple, who are based in New York City, also shared the secret to their longevity. They revealed that laughter was a constant between them and their family.

The stars are a family of five with their two sons August, 12, and Andrew, 7, and daughter Amaya, 8. Hermann shared: “I never thought I would have this much laughter in my life.”

The actor is well-known for playing publishing mogul Charles on the television show Younger. He continued: “Not just actual laughter. But also the way that Mariska is just the embodiment of laughter — of joy.”

The Law & Order: SVU actress honestly added: “It’s not that we don’t fight.” She revealed that she saw some arguments as quite absurd and that has been a crucial element in their relationship.

The actress also focuses on finding life’s silver linings. Besides acting as Lieutenant Olivia Benson on the long-term hit crime show she also heads the Joyful Heart Foundation.

Showing how big her heart is, and one of the many reasons her husband is with her, her organization concentrates on abuse survivors. In 2002, the couple met on SVU when Hermann guest-starred and it was a match made in heaven.

Hargitay said:

“As a little girl you’re told, ‘Oh, when it’s the right person, you’ll know.’ But listen, I have been engaged previously and I never knew. We went to church together, and it was like getting hit with a lightning bolt, and I just started sobbing. Peter thought I was crying because I was so moved by the service. No, it was because I was just overwhelmed, realizing he was the one.”

The pair are now quite attuned to each other. During the interview, when Hargitay suddenly furrowed her brow, her husband responded by saying, “Bless you,” a few seconds before she actually sneezed!

Even their back-and-forth banter is good-natured and light. Hermann explained that the laughter they shared has always been able to unite them and continued to do so.

He said:

“It’s the way we find our way back to each other. It’s this fantastically, wonderfully ridiculous way that we can swing back and forth any number of times in any given day. But fundamentally we know we have the same destination.”

The actor added that they knew where they were going “and it’s good” plus “we know we’ll get there together.” Although the couple has a strong bond they have no intention to renew their wedding vows.

Hargitay shared: “[E]very five or 10 years when I ask Peter if I can renew our vows, he says the same thing…” Hermann interrupted answering for himself saying: “I say no.”

He simply adds his reason explaining: “I meant it the first time.”

While on People Now, Hermann shared the stage with fellow Younger stars. There he confessed that the greatest thing about his wife was her “Charisma” and everyone in the studio couldn’t help but swoon.