Who is Mariska Hargitay’s Mother? All about Jayne Mansfield

Mariska Hargitay, best known for her long-running role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, has built her career around strength, empathy, and justice.

But behind her commanding presence on screen lies a story shaped by tragedy, secrecy, and ultimately, healing — a story that begins with her mother, Jayne Mansfield. Once one of Hollywood’s most dazzling stars, Mansfield was more than a blonde bombshell — she was a multilingual, musically gifted, and fiercely ambitious actress who died tragically young. With the upcoming release of Hargitay’s HBO documentary My Mom, Jayne, the actress takes audiences on an emotional journey to rediscover the woman who shaped her life, even in absence.

A Hollywood Starlet With Hidden Depths

Jayne Mansfield rose to fame in the 1950s as a sex symbol, often compared to Marilyn Monroe. With her platinum hair, hourglass figure, and sultry voice, she quickly became a favorite of the media and movie studios. But Mansfield was not the superficial figure she was often portrayed to be. She was a classically trained violinist and pianist, fluent in five languages, and held a theater degree. While she embraced her sex appeal to rise in Hollywood, she constantly struggled to prove she was more than a pretty face.

A Tragic End That Changed Everything

Mansfield’s life came to a devastating end on June 29, 1967, in a car crash in Louisiana. She was only 34. Mariska, then just three years old, was asleep in the back seat with her two brothers, Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, and miraculously survived the crash. The tragedy left a lifelong scar — one that Mariska rarely spoke of publicly, until now.

Raised by Mickey Hargitay — But the Truth Was Complicated

After her mother’s death, Mariska was raised by her father, Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-born bodybuilder and actor who had married Mansfield in 1958. Hargitay was a strong paternal presence, guiding Mariska with love and discipline. However, My Mom, Jayne reveals a deeply personal truth: Mickey Hargitay was not Mariska’s biological father. That role belonged to Nelson Sardelli, a singer and actor who had a brief relationship with Mansfield in the mid-1960s.

In the documentary, Hargitay confronts this long-hidden reality head-on. “Sometimes keeping a secret doesn’t honor anyone,” she says. Her decision to tell the story is not only about uncovering her mother’s past — it’s also about claiming her own.

Rebuilding a Connection Through Film

In My Mom, Jayne, Hargitay uses home videos, archival footage, and intimate interviews to piece together the life of a mother she never got the chance to know. She revisits old family storage units, speaks to relatives and family friends, and meets with Sardelli, asking him difficult questions she had never voiced before. The film is part biography, part personal memoir — a tribute to Mansfield and a healing journey for her daughter.

The Legacy of Strength

Hargitay’s documentary also explores how her mother’s struggles influenced her own life and career. Mansfield was often dismissed because of her appearance, and Hargitay deliberately pursued roles that offered substance and strength. As Olivia Benson, she has portrayed a powerful woman fighting for justice — a role she’s held for over two decades, making her the longest-running female character in TV history.

In real life, Hargitay has become a prominent advocate for survivors of sexual violence, founding the Joyful Heart Foundation and producing documentaries like I Am Evidence. She credits her mother’s story — and her father’s example — with shaping her resilience and activism.

A Daughter’s Tribute

For Mariska Hargitay, My Mom, Jayne is more than a film — it’s a reclamation of her story, her family, and her identity. It’s also a love letter to a woman whose complexity was too often overshadowed by her celebrity. “She didn’t get to make the kind of art she wanted,” Hargitay says in the film. “But we did it together.”

Through this act of storytelling, Hargitay has found peace. “I am good now,” she said, smiling. “We made a piece of art together. I finally got to meet my mom.”