Mariska Hargitay has been keeping a family secret for more than 30 years.
Jayne Mansfield and her daughter Mariska Hargitay (1964) pic.twitter.com/bfFpNRQKXa
— History Defined (@historydefined) May 18, 2025
At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, the “Law & Order: SVU” star revealed at the premiere of her documentary, “My Mom Jayne,” that her biological father is former Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. She was raised by late actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay.
After more than 30 years of uncertainty, Mariska Hargitay has revealed her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but a famous Italian singer and comedian.
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— TMZ (@TMZ) May 19, 2025
The actress admitted to Vanity Fair that she struggled with the idea of “knowing I’m living a lie my entire life.” But the answer eventually became clear to her.
