Mariska Hargitay Admits a Hidden Family Secret in Explosive New Documentary [WATCH]

Actress Mariska Hargitay has revealed that her biological father is not the man who raised her, late actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, but rather Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli, as reported by Fox News.

The revelation comes as part of her new documentary My Mom Jayne, which premiered on May 17, 2025, at the Cannes Film Festival and is scheduled to air on HBO and HBO Max on June 27.

Jayne Mansfield and her daughter Mariska Hargitay (1964) pic.twitter.com/bfFpNRQKXa

— History Defined (@historydefined) May 18, 2025

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Hargitay, 61, known for her long-running role on Law & Order: SVU, disclosed the decades-long family secret in interviews tied to the documentary about her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield.

The film includes interviews with Hargitay’s siblings Jayne Marie, Zoltan, and Mickey Jr., as well as members of the Sardelli family.

“I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,” Hargitay said in an interview with Vanity Fair.

“I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter. That is not a lie. This documentary is kind of a love letter to him.”

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Mickey Hargitay passed away in 2006 at the age of 80. Though not her biological father, he raised Mariska and her siblings following Mansfield’s death in a 1967 car accident that killed the actress at age 34.

Mariska, then three years old, had been asleep in the back seat of the vehicle during the crash.

Mansfield filed for divorce from Mickey in 1963 and entered into a highly publicized relationship with Sardelli. Although she reconciled with Mickey shortly before Mariska’s birth in 1964, the identity of the child’s biological father remained a mystery until much later in life.

Mariska Hargitay says she “lived a lie” for 30 years.
Hargitay has revealed that Italian singer Nelson Sardelli, with whom her mother, Jayne Mansfield had an affair, is her biological father and not Mickey Hargitay. pic.twitter.com/Aj40gZpLC7

— ClassicMovieDigest (@ClassicMovieDig) May 18, 2025

Hargitay said she began suspecting the truth in her 20s, after someone showed her a photograph of Sardelli. “It was like the floor fell out from under me,” she said in the film. When she confronted Mickey, he denied it, and she never raised the subject again with him.

At 30, she saw Sardelli perform in Atlantic City and introduced herself. Sardelli reportedly burst into tears and said, “I’ve been waiting 30 years for this moment.”

Despite the emotional encounter, Hargitay emphasized her loyalty to Mickey, stating:

“I don’t want anything. I don’t need anything from you … I have a dad.”

Over time, she formed a relationship with Sardelli and his daughters.

She said they were emotional after watching a private screening of the documentary, which includes details about her discovery, her relationship with both men, and her journey to come to terms with the loss of her mother.

“My Mom Jayne” not only revisits Mansfield’s public image but also explores the private person behind the Hollywood persona.

Mansfield, born Vera Jayne Palmer, was a classically trained musician and multilingual actress who adopted a “dumb blonde” persona under the guidance of a casting director. The persona helped her rise to fame but limited how seriously she was taken in Hollywood.

“When I would hear that fake voice, it used to just flip me out,” Hargitay said.

“But my dad would always say, ‘She wasn’t like that at all. She was like you. She was funny and irreverent and fearless and real.’”

The documentary marks the first time Hargitay has publicly addressed the paternity issue and reflects her desire to be transparent with both families and audiences.

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