Mariska Hargitay is not a size zero and she’s proud of it, as well she should be.

The Law & Order: SVU detective says she’s proud to be a size 8 in an industry that is often obsessed with unrealistically thin women.

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“I think I’m a very attractive person, but I don’t put myself in the realm of the beauty…That’s not where I get my esteem,” she tells ShowbizSpy.com. “I’m a size 8, and I feel proud of that, because it’s healthy. I’ve never felt compelled to be a skinny actress. Being a sex symbol is not my thing; it’s not where I shine.”

Hargitay is heading to the new Los Angeles offshoot of Law & Order in the upcoming season.

In the September 29 episode, Det. Olivia Benson leaves New York for LA to team up with Det. Rex Winters on a case about a rape survivor played by Jennifer Love Hewitt. The episode is based on a real rape survivor who shared her story at a fundraiser for Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation, which supports survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

“I’m so honored that the SVU writers see the value in telling this story,” Hargitay told TV Guide. “And it’s very cool how they’re weaving our two shows together.”