Emmy's Will Have First Female Host Since 2011

Mariska Hargitay is swapping the squad room for the stage. The longtime Law & Order: SVU star will host the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, becoming the first woman to emcee the show in 15 years, reports Variety. The last female host was Glee star Jane Lynch in 2011.

Hargitay, who has played Captain Olivia Benson since 1999, called it a "great honor" to earn her first major hosting gig. Deadline notes that Hargitay has won an Emmy herself and picked up an additional eight nominations. Off camera, she's known for her advocacy on domestic violence and sexual assault. (Hargitay is the daughter of the late actress Jayne Mansfield.)