Mariska Hargitay Says Birth Father Was ‘Thrilled’ About ‘My Mom Jayne’ Doc

by

Mariska Hargitay disclosed the response of her biological father, Nelson Sardelli, to her recently released documentary titled “My Mom Jayne”.

In the interview on Today, the star of Law & Order: SVU, aged 61, expressed that his birth father was elated, as he had carried this secret with him for many years. His sisters were ecstatic, understandably so since they too had been concealed from the truth. However, his other siblings felt apprehensive, questioning the need to revisit the past.

She remarked, “After further discussion, they expressed, ‘We’ve got your back. We believe in you, and this is your tale to share.’

During an examination of the life and impact left by her deceased mother, Jayne Mansfield, Mariska disclosed in her book titled My Mom Jayne that her biological father isn’t bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay as she previously believed, but rather the Italian singer Sardelli, who is 90 years old now. (It was known that Mansfield and Mickey had three other children together, while Sardelli has daughters from a previous relationship.)

Mariska shared on Today, “It hit me hard when I discovered this fact.” She explained, “I went through an identity crisis because my father was not just a pillar of support, he was also my role model and everything I admired. He was the one I aspired to be like. The thought that I wasn’t truly his daughter, as I found out, was devastating.

1967 saw the tragic death of Mansfield in a car accident, when Mariska was just 3 years of age. In her first directorial venture, an HBO documentary delves more into Mansfield’s life by utilizing old footage to tell a more comprehensive story.

On Thursday, Mariska mused about her mother’s response to the documentary, “I believe she’d be truly elated.” She spoke of the opportunity for her mother to be fully recognized, not just in one aspect. “I feel certain she would be delighted that we could create a film together.

Speaking about uncovering her biological father’s true identity, Mariska has expressed that it was like a sudden, shocking realization when she found out the truth.

Mariska remembered saying, ‘You’re kidding me, right? Are you out of your mind? That’s completely false,’ was how she recalled a disagreement with Mickey in the June 25th episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She feigned agreement and never discussed it further with him afterwards.

Mariska further revealed that she only has a “couple of memories” with her mother before she died.

In her conversation with podcast host Alex Cooper, Hargitay expressed that she has certain recollections which she isn’t sure if they are actual memories, images from photographs, or fantasized events that she yearned for. Essentially, these moments could be pieces of a memory, she said. She described her life as one filled with longing and the struggle to rebuild connections.

In her words, “In the film, losing my mom was like having an empty space within me. Ever since then, I’ve been learning to deal with this and make sense of it.

My Mom Jayne premieres via HBO Friday, June 27.

Read More

2025-06-27 00:24