Mariska's father, Mickey, died in 2006 after a long illness, and she often honors both late parents on social media. Thank you Dad for always holding me up. I love you. Always, she captioned...

Mariska Hargitay made headlines when she revealed that her biological father was not Mickey Hargitay but was, instead, Nelson Sardelli.

Mariska Hargitay is opening up about a family bombshell. The " Law & Order: Special V i ctims Unit " star, 61, reveals in her new documentary "My Mom Jayne" that her biological father is.

Understanding the Context

In May 2025, Mariska Hargitay confirmed that singer-comedian Nelson Sardelli was her biological father. She had believed Mickey Hargitay to be her biological father until she was 25.

In the film, she reveals musician Nelson Sardelli to be her biological father, though she was raised by bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, whom she viewed as her dad.

Because of Jayne's bombshell persona, Mariska gravitated towards things that were more traditionally masculine, especially her father, Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-American actor and.

There were rumors that Mariska Hargitay was not actually the daughter of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay, two Hollywood icons of the 50s, and it turns out they were true.

Key Insights

Mariska Hargitay recalled learning that her biological father was Nelson Sardelli from a Jayne Mansfield fan on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast.

Who is Mariska Hargitays father? Mariskas father Mickey Hargitay was a successful actor and accomplished bodybuilder. He was born in Budapest, Hungary and emigrated to the U.S. in 1947.

Mickey Hargitay may not have been Mariska Hargitay s biological father, but he was proud to be her dad until the very end. In Mariskas new documentary My Mom Jayne, the actress revealed.