See 11 Rare Photos of Mariska Hargitay with Her Parents and Siblings Over the Years
- - - See 11 Rare Photos of Mariska Hargitay with Her Parents and Siblings Over the Years
Alexandra SchonfeldJune 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Archive Photos/Getty
Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay.
Mariska Hargitay is one part of a big, blended family.
The Law & Order: SVU star, 61, was born in 1964 to mom Jayne Mansfield and dad Mickey Hargitay. Jayne was already mom to Jayne Marie Mansfield, whom she shared with her first husband Paul Mansfield, as well as Mickey Jr. and Zoltan whom she shared with Mickey.
Jayne later welcomed son Tony with her third husband, film director Matt Cimber, making her officially a mom of five.
Decades after her mother died as a result of a tragic car crash in 1967, Mariska found out that her biological father was actually a man named Nelson Sardelli — a discovery she reveals in her new documentary My Mom Jayne. Sardelli along with his two daughters, Giovanna and Pietra, are both interviewed in the film.
Ahead of the movie's HBO premiere on June 27, look back at some of the best photos of Mariska with her parents and siblings over the years.
All Together Now
Bettmann
Mickey Hargitay, Jayne Mansfield with kids Zoltan, Mickey Jr., Mariska and Jayne Marie.
Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay clearly had their hands full as the pair was pictured with Jayne Maria, who was 14 at the time, as well as seven-year-old Mickey, five-year-old Zoltan and baby Mariska, who was just two,
Mariska and Mom
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Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay.
Not long after her birth, a teeny-tiny, wide-eyed Mariska is seen nestled in her mom's arms in this shot from 1964.
Picture Perfect
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Jayne Mansfield with her kids Mickey Jr., Zoltan and Mariska.
As Mariska peddled along on her own tiny bike, her brothers Mickey Jr. and Zoltan shared one as their beloved mom followed behind them in 1967.
Not long after this photo was taken, the three siblings were in the backseat together when the car they were all traveling in hit a tractor-trailer truck, killing the It Happened in Athens actress and the two other adults — Sam Brody, her attorney, and Ronnie Harrison, their driver, who were seated in the front seat.
Supportive Siblings
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Mariska Hargitay and siblings Mickey Hargitay Jr., Zoltan Hargitay and Jayne Marie Mansfield.
Growing up, the four siblings remained close and stood by their little sister's side during milestone moments like her 2013 star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
By Your Side
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Jayne Marie Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay.
Though the elder Jayne wasn't there to share in the milestone in person, the two sisters held hands as Jayne Marie stood on top of their mom's star — just steps away from Mariska's brand new one — making the moment all the more special.
The moment would become on of the most poignant for the Law & Order star as she said it connected her to her mother in an unexpected way.
"I remember when I got my star in [2013] on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I remember thinking, 'It's nice, it's a thing that people do.' I didn't really know how to take it in ... and I kind of dismissed it, I'll be honest with you," she told Alex Cooper on her Call Her Daddy podcast.
"And then I got through that day, and when I saw my star on the ground next to her star, I was so overcome with emotion and somehow in that moment of seeing her, this visual of these two stars with her name on it and my name on it, was one of the most emotionally connected moments that I've ever had with her," she revealed.
"It took me by surprise to be connected with her through the stars because it was such a primal level and it was in my cells. It was in my cellular DNA. I was so surprised by it, but I just took it as a gift."
Special Plus One
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Mariska Hargitay and Mickey Hargitay.
Mariska also had a close bond with her father Mickey. The former Mr. Universe was in the audience in 2005 when she accepted the Golden Globe award for best actress in a drama TV series for her performance as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU.
"Forty-nine years ago, my mother accepted [a Golden Globe], and my father was with her. And I'm lucky enough tonight to have my father here with me," Mariska said from the stage. "You are my hero. You've taught me not only by your word but by example, Dad, and I love you."
Quality Time
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Mickey Hargitay and Mariska Hargitay.
The proud dad gave his daughter a kiss on the head while joining her at the American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Allen Awards gala in 2004 in New York City.
Bring Your Dad to Work
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Mariska Hargitay and Mickey Hargitay.
Before his death in 2006, Mickey even starred alongside his daughter in a 2003 episode of Law & Order: SVU.
Brotherly Bond
Mariska Hargitay Instagram
Mickey Hargitay Jr., Mariska Hargitay, and Zoltan Hargitay.
Back in 2016, Mariska wished her brothers a "#HappyNationalSiblingsDay" dubbing them the "#Hargibrothers."
Proud Sister
Mariska Hargitay Instagram
Mariska Hargitay and Mickey Hargitay Jr.
And more recently she paid tribute to Mickey Jr. on his birthday writing, "I love this guy so much. Best big bother. Soulful. Protective. Nurturing. Funny. Fun. Kind. Wise. Gentle. Hard Working," while also shouting out his passion for plants.
"Best brother ever and best PLANTS ever. To watch somebody nurture plants is a thing of beauty.🌱🪻🌺🌲🪴🫚🫛🍀🌸 🌴🌳," she wrote of Mickey Jr. who has run Mickey Hargitay Plants since 1980.
Celebrating a Legacy
Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic
Mickey Hargitay Jr., Pietra Sardelli, Giovanna Sardelli, Nelson Sardelli, Mariska Hargitay, Ellen Hargitay, Zoltan Hargitay, Jayne Marie Mansfield and Peter Hermann.
To celebrate the premiere of My Mom Jayne — Mariska's brand-new documentary about her mother's life. One of the film's biggest revelations is the fact that she found out more than 30 years ago that her biological father is Nelson Sardelli.
Sardelli, along with his daughters Giovanna and Pietra, joined the rest of the family at the movie's New York City premiere on June 13 and posed with Ellen Hargitay, Mariska's stepmom, Zoltan, Mickey Jr. and Jayne Marie as well as Peter Hermann, the Law & Order: SVU star's husband of more than 20 years.
on People
Source: AOL Entertainment
