Mariska Hargitay Gives Jalen Brunson Shout-Out From Broadway Stage, Spurring Standing Ovation

Dan Clarendon June 28, 2026, 10:50 am

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay pose backstage at 'Every Brilliant Thing' on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre on June 26, 2026, in New York City

What To Know

Mariska Hargitay gave a special shout-out to her friend, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, during her Broadway performance of Every Brilliant Thing.
Brunson attended the show with his wife, congratulated Hargitay backstage.
Hargitay has credited Brunson’s inspiration, humility, and work ethic as motivating factors that helped her overcome nerves for her Broadway debut.

Mariska Hargitay and Jalen Brunson’s longtime friendship is a brilliant thing! On Friday night, the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actor and the New York Knicks champ had another moment of mutual admiration as the latter attended the former’s Broadway show, Every Brilliant Thing, at the Hudson Theatre.

Hargitay is starring in the solo play — written by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahue and directed by Macmillan and Jeremy Herrin — until July 5. And Brunson made a surprise appearance in the audience on Friday, June 26, sitting in the center orchestra and smiling as he watched his friend perform, according to People.

In the play, Hargitay’s character “looks back at their life and the glimmers of hope that carried them through” via “a list of every wonderful, beautiful, and delightful thing — big, small, and everything in between — that makes life worth living,” per the synopsis.

And on Friday night, one of the items on that list was a Knicks jersey with Brunson’s name. “No. 555,555: Knicks in Five,” Hargitay’s character said on stage, referencing the Knicks’ 2026 NBA Finals victory after five games.

That mention led the audience to give Brunson a standing ovation, People reports.

Brunson ducked out of the theater before the curtain call on Friday, but he gave his commendations to Hargitay backstage, and he and his wife, Ali Marks, posed for photos with the TV star and her husband, Peter Hermann.

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“It was so sweet,” a source told People. “He was congratulating her and telling her how much he loved the show. She was so thrilled he was there. You could see how much admiration they have for one another.”

Hargitay said on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle earlier this month that Brunson vowed to attend an Every Brilliant Thing performance. During that interview, she revealed the athlete was particularly inspirational during the run-up to her Broadway debut.

“I love him,” she raved. “I was so terrified to do my show that I actually … just thought about him and his inspiration and his humility and his work ethic to say, ‘You can do hard things. No matter what, you can do hard things.’ ’Cause, you know, this was all new to me. He is so singular and magnificent. He’s a magnificent human.”