Jalen Brunson Supports Mariska Hargitay’s Broadway Run After Season of Knicks Fandom
Jalen Brunson was honored with an onstage acknowledgment and standing ovation during Mariska Hargitay's Broadway performance in New York.
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Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay (Image: X)
Jalen Brunson traded Madison Square Garden for Broadway on June 26, attending Mariska Hargitay’s performance of Every Brilliant Thing at New York City’s Hudson Theatre in a show of support for the actress, who has been a regular presence at New York Knicks games throughout the team’s championship season.
The Knicks captain surprised theatergoers when he took a seat in the center orchestra section to watch Hargitay’s limited Broadway run in the one-person play by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe.
The night took an unexpected turn during a pivotal moment in the performance, when Hargitay’s character pulled items from a box representing joyful memories. Among them was Brunson’s Knicks jersey. Holding it up, Hargitay declared, “No. 555,555: Knicks in Five.”
The reveal drew a roar from the crowd inside the Hudson Theatre, with audience members erupting in cheers and giving Brunson a standing ovation.
Following the performance, Brunson met Hargitay backstage, where the pair posed for photos alongside their spouses, Ali Marks and Peter Hermann. According to PEOPLE, Brunson congratulated the actress on her Broadway debut after exiting the auditorium before her curtain call.
The source said, “It was so sweet. 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’s engagement in Every Brilliant Thing continues through July 5. Tracee Ellis Ross will succeed her in the role before the Broadway production concludes on August 9.
How Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay’s friendship grew beyond basketball
The friendship between Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay began after the NBA star revealed he had watched Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for years with his family.
“I was so flattered and thrilled, because I was such a huge fan,” Hargitay said during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers after learning Brunson admired the series.
Brunson later explained why the show remained important to him. “I just remember my dad always watching the show,” he said on his podcast. “You just hear the iconic ‘dun-dun’ all the time in the house. It’s a pregame show for me,” Brunson said. “I’ve always loved that show.”
Their friendship has continued to grow off the court. Brunson and Marks attended the premiere of Hargitay’s documentary My Mom Jayne at the Tribeca Festival in 2025, while Hargitay became a regular courtside supporter during the Knicks’ championship campaign.
As she prepared for her Broadway debut, Hargitay said she kept a photo of Brunson in her dressing room because his focus and discipline inspired her before performances. The Broadway revival of Every Brilliant Thing has also partnered with Project Healthy Minds to help audiences access mental health support resources.
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