Mariska Hargitay has unveiled a deeply concealed familial mystery: the truth behind her biological paternity. For years, the actress, whose mother was the legendary Jayne Mansfield, had embraced the notion that her father was Mickey Hargitay, the Hungarian bodybuilding champion-turned-actor who tied the knot with Mansfield in 1956. Tragedy struck when Mariska was merely three; she and her mother were involved in a fatal car accident that instantaneously claimed Mansfield's life. Mickey subsequently raised their trio of offspring.
"He was my universe, my beacon of adoration. His love for me was unwavering, and I was acutely aware of it," she confessed to Vanity Fair. "Yet, there was another piece of the puzzle I was unaware I possessed."
It wasn't until her twenties that Mariska uncovered the truth. During a fleeting period in 1963-64, Mansfield sought a divorce from Mickey and embarked on a romance with Italian entertainer Nelson Sardelli. However, their reconciliation transpired mere months prior to Mariska's birth.
Mariska had long sensed a disparity between her and her siblings, Jayne Marie, Zoltan, and Mickey Jr. When she was in her twenties, a glimpse of Sardelli's photograph affirmed her suspicions. Instinctively, she recognized him as her biological father. Confronting Mickey about it yielded a denial, and the topic was never revisited.
At the age of thirty, Mariska ventured to Atlantic City to witness Sardelli's performance. Upon introducing herself, she recounted that he became emotional, confessing, "I've anticipated this moment for three decades."
"I confronted him with the ferocity of Olivia Benson," she said of her response. "I declared, 'I desire nothing from you. I have a father.' Loyalty weighed heavily on my heart. I owed my allegiance to Mickey." (Mickey passed away in 2006.)
She confessed to grappling with the realization that she had been living a lie for her entire existence. Mariska eventually forged a close bond with Sardelli and his daughters. She also comprehended her mother's return to Mickey, driven by the belief that it was in her daughter's best interest.
"I flourished in the environment intended for me, and I am cognizant that everyone acted in my utmost best interest," she mused. "I am Mickey Hargitay's daughter – that is an undeniable truth."
The Law & Order: SVU star delves deeper into this revelation in her new documentary, My Mom Jayne, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday and will make its debut on HBO/HBO Max on June 27.
