Who Mariska Hargitay's Biological Father Is & How She Discovered The Truth

Mariska Hargitay’s first documentary movie, My Mom Jayne, provides new insight into the story of her late mother and delves into secrets about the acclaimed television actress’ family that have only recently been released to the public. The newest HBO documentary explores the life and career of celebrated Hollywood actress Jayne Mansfield, who received worldwide recognition throughout the 20th century for her work as a Playboy model and her performances in movies including The Girl Can’t Help It (1957) and Too Hot To Handle (1960). She also received attention for her work in cabaret shows and nightclub performances.

Throughout the HBO documentary, Mariska Hargitay discusses the highs and lows of her mother’s career and personal life and the circumstances that led to her tragic death in a car accident in 1967. The documentary is told from the perspective of all of Jayne Mansfield’s children, who each contribute their own memories of their late mother. Hargitay, who was only three years old when Mansfield died, explains that she created the documentary to learn more about her late mother and get closure to shocking secrets about her family that she discovered as she grew up, including the identity of her father.

Mariska Hargitay Grew Up Believing Her Father Was Mickey Hargitay

As shown in My Mom Jayne, Mariska Hargitay grew up as the fourth child and second daughter of Jayne Mansfield. Hargitay was born on January 23, 1964, as the third and youngest child of Mansfield’s second marriage to Hungarian bodybuilder, Mickey Hargitay. Alongside her older brothers, Miklós and Zoltán, Mariska was involved in the car crash that killed their mother in 1967; she survived with only minor injuries and was raised by her father. In the documentary, as she reveals more about her mother’s death, Mariska Hargitay talks about making the shocking revelation that Mickey Hargitay was not her biological father.

She reveals that her biological father is Italian singer and comedian Nelson Sardelli, who had a brief relationship with Mansfield while she was separated from her second husband. Mansfield discovered that she was pregnant with Mariska while finalizing her divorce from Hargitay (via Today). Mansfield and Hargitay then publicly maintained that they were still legally married until after Mariska’s birth to protect Mansfield’s public reputation. It was first alleged that Sardelli was Mariska Hargitay’s biological father in the biography, Here They Come, Jayne Mansfield, written by Mansfield’s former publicist (via E! News).

Mickey Hargitay Denied That Nelson Sardelli Was Mariska’s Father Before His Death

Mickey Hargitay Died In 2006

Throughout My Mom Jayne, Mariska Hargitay talks with her siblings about their mother’s life and the revelation about her true parentage. Following Jayne Mansfield’s death, Hargitay was raised alongside her older brothers, Miklós and Zoltán, by Mickey Hargitay and his wife Ellen Siano, whom he married in 1967. Hargitay stated that she had a close relationship with her stepmother growing up and saw her as her mother (via NBC). Mickey Hargitay acknowledged Mariska as his daughter right up to his death from plasma cell cancer in 2006.

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In an interview with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Mariska Hargitay recalled how she confronted Mickey about her biological father, stating that she felt “overwhelmed” with the truth. She stated that Hargitay denied that Sardelli was her father, saying “What are you talking about? Are you crazy? That is so not true.” In her Call Her Daddy interview (and the documentary), Hargitay stated that she saw how the truth deeply hurt her father, so she decided to “let it go” and never spoke of it with him again (via New York Post).

How Mariska Hargitay Learned Nelson Sardelli Was Her Father & What Their Relationship Is Like Today

Nelson Sardelli Has Expressed Support For Hargitay’s Documentary

Mariska Hargitay reveals in My Mom Jayne that she did not learn the truth until she was shown a photo of Sardelli in her 20s. She knew immediately that Sardelli was her biological father due to the similarities in their physical appearances. In the documentary, Hargitay describes this revelation as “like the floor fell out from underneath [her].” She met Sardelli on a cruise ship in 1992 and introduced herself as his daughter, later saying that Sardelli was “moved to tears” during the meeting (via Vanity Fair).

Mariska Hargitay has formed a close relationship with her biological father, Nelson Sardelli.

Since their first meeting, Hargitay has formed a close relationship with her biological father and has also connected with her half-sisters from Sardelli’s first marriage. Hargitay revealed that Sardelli expressed his support and approval of the documentary as he “had also been carrying the secret” for years (via US Magazine). As shown throughout My Mom Jayne, Mariska Harigtay’s paternity heavily impacted many people, but she was able to eventually find closure and acceptance with the truth.

Sources: Today, E! News, NBC, New York Post, Vanity Fair, US Magazine