Mariska Hargitay Reveals Biological Father in 'My Mom Jayne' Documentary

May 18, 2025

At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Mariska Hargitay, renowned for her role in Law & Order: SVU, made a deeply personal revelation in her directorial debut documentary, My Mom Jayne. The film explores the life of her mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield, and unveils a secret Hargitay has kept for over three decades: her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but Nelson Sardelli, a former Las Vegas entertainer.

Hargitay discovered the truth at age 25 upon noticing a resemblance to Sardelli in a photograph. Confronting Mickey, he denied the claim, and the topic was never discussed again. Five years later, at 30, she met Sardelli in Atlantic City. Their emotional encounter marked the beginning of a complex journey toward understanding her identity.

The documentary features interviews with Sardelli and his two daughters, Hargitay's half-sisters, as well as her siblings from Mansfield's other marriages. It delves into Mansfield's multifaceted life and the tragic 1967 car accident that claimed her life when Hargitay was just three years old.

My Mom Jayne is not only a tribute to Mansfield but also an exploration of Hargitay's personal journey toward embracing her full identity. The film received a standing ovation at Cannes and is set to premiere on HBO on June 27, 2025.