Los Angeles [US], April 18 : Actor Mariska Hargitay is winning hearts with her special gesture for a lost child who mistook her for real cop on the sets of 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' in New York City.

While filming one of the final episodes of season 25 of SVU, Hargitay, 60, was approached by a little girl who believed her to be a real police officer based on the badge she wore as part of her character's outfit, as per People.

An eye-witness told the publicationthat the little girl had been separated from her mother in the Anne Loftus Playground in Fort Tryon Park and enlisted Hargitay for help. The actress obliged, halting production for 20 minutes to help the child locate her mother and to console them both.

As per the witness, the girl was completely oblivious to the film crew -- and to Hargitay's scene partner.
In March, before filming for season 25 had even finished, the show was renewed for a record-breaking 26th season, topping the previous record set for the longest-running primetime live-action series in history.

Ice-T, who joined the show as Detective Fin Tutuola in its second season, previously told the outlet that the series ironically transformed from "a four-episode stint" into a 25-year journey for him, earning him the title of the longest-running male actor on television.