When you see a girl like me bustin’ perps, there ain’t no time to be pretty.

Meaning of the quote

This quote means that when Mariska Hargitay, an American actress, is catching bad guys, she doesn't have time to worry about looking pretty. She's too busy doing her job and making sure the criminals get caught. Her focus is on being effective at her work, not on how she looks.

About Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay is an acclaimed American actress and producer, best known for her long-running role as Olivia Benson on the hit TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has won numerous awards, including an Emmy and Golden Globe, and is also recognized for her philanthropic work and activism.

More about the author

More quotes from Mariska Hargitay

I think people were expecting me to be that kind of glamorous sexpot. So they were always, Wow you’re not what I expected.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

It’s a life’s journey of finding ourselves, finding our power, and living for yourself, not for everyone else.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

Yes. I did more research than I ever wanted to and saw some things I wish I didn’t. I went on ride-alongs, spent time with Homicide, Cold Case, and SVU detectives, hung out in subways learning how to spot pervs and pick-pockets, viewed an autopsy, went to a police firing range, and witnessed court cases and I read, read, read.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

As an actress, there were so many months, years even, when I didn’t get work, when I wanted to quit.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

I want to be a fun mom. Not a gasping for air mom.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

I’m an L.A. girl who became a tough New York cop.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

If I eat clean, I look 10 years younger.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

You make sacrifices to become a mother, but you really find yourself and your soul.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

When my body is strong, I feel stronger inside. I feel more capable of handling emotional situations. Usually I’m more of a inside-out person, but this was a great case of me from the outside in.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

I’m living every ten-year-old boy’s fantasy. The other day, Chris and I had this big scene where we had to pull out our guns, and I was thinking, ‘Here we are in New York City – a place where every actor wants to be – and we are literally playing cops and robbers. How great is that?’

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

When I was in my early 20s, I had my hair permed. Bad idea! It turned into total frizz. My advice to women is, if you have nice hair already, don’t get a perm, leave your hair alone!

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

You know how you wake up in the morning and sometimes you look gorgeous and other times you look like you got hit by a mack truck? I realized that my mack truck is food. If I have no sugar, yeast or wine, I have no undereye bags and my skin is perfect.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

Chocolate is the first luxury. It has so many things wrapped up in it: Deliciusness in the moment, childhood memories, and that grin-inducing feeling of getting a reward for being good.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

When you see a girl like me bustin’ perps, there ain’t no time to be pretty.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

I am proud to be a role model for my viewers. I am finding out that helping victims is as or more rewarding the all the awards I wins.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

I have so much love that I didn’t even know about.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress

When I read the script sometimes, it’s like ‘Christ! Enough!’ I can’t sleep at night sometimes. There’s the occasional script that just hammers you, that you can’t shower off.

Mariska Hargitay

American actress