Mariska Hargitay has been on a "parallel journey" to her 'Law and Order' character.
The 59-year-old actress has played Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series since 1999, and Mariska can now see some strong similarities between her on-screen character and her real-life self.
She told PEOPLE: "We’ve been on a parallel journey.
"There’s a thing WWOBD, what would Olivia Benson do? The fans would always talk about it, and one day it hit me. I also have those moments where I’ve sort of slipped into her.
"If there’s a crisis, I just take over and lead like that. Being strong and fearless. It’s sort of this perfect feminist story."
Mariska has now been on the hit TV show for 25 years, and the actress feels she's "still growing".
She said: "I can’t imagine the show ending, and can’t imagine not going on this journey with my cast, my crew. I have so much to look forward to. And I’m still growing.
"I like that you can be so many things at one time. It’s learning to give yourself permission to be all of yourself."
Despite this, Mariska feels she's still "vulnerable".
The actress explained: "I lead with my heart. It’s hard for me to witness other people’s pain. I’m like a laser. I don’t do small talk very well. So I connect with people.
"The other thing is that I’m vulnerable. That’s my superpower."
Mariska will celebrate her 60th birthday on January 23, and the actress is looking forward to the landmark occasion, admitting that she's currently "stronger than [she's] ever been".
Asked how she feels about turning 60, Mariska replied: "I’m so proud of it and I’m grateful. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been."
