For some 26 years, Mariska Hargitay has been a member of an elite squad on the small screen. Now the Law & Order: SVU actress is ready to tell some new stories, namely those surrounding her mother, legendary screen siren Jayne Mansfield.
But among the takeaways shared in Mariska’s documentary My Mom Jayne—which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17—the most shocking was that her late father, former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay, is not actually her biological dad.
As Mariska explained in the doc, which serves as her feature film directorial debut, she learned about Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli when she was 25 years old, some 22 years after her mom died in a car crash.
“It was like the floor fell out from underneath me,” the 61-year-old said in My Mom Jayne of first seeing a photograph of the Brazilian-born singer-comedian and knowing deep down this is why she’d felt different than Mickey and Jayne’s other kids Mickey “Miklos” Jr., 66, and Zoltan, 64. “Like my infrastructure dissolved.”
She confronted Mickey—the man she’s called “my everything, my idol”—with the news, but after he insisted he was, in fact, her father, they never spoke of it again.
But she was left wanting answers and made the choice to introduce herself to Nelson—a regular at Sin City’s Flamingo, who performed on cruise ships and every continent, including shows at the Sydney Opera House and New York City’s Carnegie Hall—in 1994 when he had a gig in Atlantic City, N.J.
Describing his emotional reaction when they met to Vanity Fair, Mariska revealed he was moved to tears, saying, “‘I’ve been waiting 30 years for this moment.'”
In 1962, Jayne filed to end her marriage to Mickey, her costar in films like The Loves of Hercules, going on to date Nelson for a brief period between 1963 and 1964.
He had moved to Pontiac, Mich. in 1956, he detailed in an October 2019 chat with Norm Clarke’s Vegas Diary, “because in Brazil I worked for General Motors, but they were laying off people all over Michigan.”
He went on to serve in the army and work construction jobs before landing a gig singing at an open mic night and launching a career in entertainment that included appearing in films like 1970’s Myra Breckinridge, 1982’s Fake Out and 2001’s Chilly Dogs.
Meanwhile, Jayne and Mickey—who also helped raise her daughter Jayne Marie, now 74, from a previous relationship—reconciled before Mariska was born in 1964, Vanity Fair reported, but finalized their divorce later that year.
For a while after that first New Jersey meet-up with Nelson, admitted Mariska, she struggled with “knowing I’m living a lie my entire life.”
But eventually she went on to form a bond with Nelson and his two daughters, all of whom appear in My Mom Jayne.
Which is why Mariska held a private screening of the documentary for them in Las Vegas. “They just wept and wept and wept,” she recounted to Vanity Fair of the sisters she’d long referred to as family friends. “These two women that I love so much—I made them secrets! It’s so heartbreaking to me.”
But now, she shared, the film has served as a way to “unburden all of us.”
Mariska remains close with 90-year-old Nelson, who earned the Golden Pillow Award from the International Entertainer School of Las Vegas in 2008 and hosted a regular Star Shine fundraiser for children.
But she understands her mom’s choices, believing Jayne saw Mickey as someone who would provide a stable life.
“I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,” she told Vanity Fair. “I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter—that is not a lie.”
Keep reading to uncover more surprising celebrity relations.
Lena Dunham & Larry David
On an April 2 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother’s side.
Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother’s side dating back all the way to the 1600s.
Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman’s post, “Omg I’m unwell.”
Dakota Johnson and Antonio Banderas
The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress’ mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn’t mean the stepfather and daughter’s bond has been severed.
Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.
“I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky,” Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. “I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life,” she said. “When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family.”
Robyn Lively & Blake Lively
The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.
Elle King & Rob Schneider
The “Ex’s & Oh’s” singer is the SNL vet’s daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.
Ludacris & Monica
The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper’s uncle.
Conan O’Brien & Denis Leary
The late-night host and the Rescue Me creator are third cousins.
Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw
The onetime Grey’s Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.
Yara Shahidi & Nas
The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis!
Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch
The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.
Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland
Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she’s also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.
Phil Collins & Lily Collins
Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.
Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he’s the first cousin of her father.
Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning
According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The actors are actually brother and sister!
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown
Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.
“We are blood related!” Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. “REAL cousins!”
Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.
Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane
Yep, Game of Thrones‘ Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead‘s Nick Clark.
Lily Allen & Sam Smith
The brunette beauty and the “Stay With Me” singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is “huge.”
Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts
The We’re the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.
Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer
Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård
The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.
Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola
The Ghost Rider actor comes from an extremely talented family. One of his cousins directed The Bling Ring, the other starred in Saving Mr. Banks and his uncle directed The Godfather.
Lily Allen & Alfie Allen
The outspoken British singer is the older sister of the Game of Thrones star. She even wrote a song about him titled “Alfie.”
Brooke Shields & Glenn Close
The Damages star and the Lipstick Jungle actress are second cousins.
Shirley MacLaine & Warren Beatty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty actress originally inspired her baby brother to get into show business.
Rashida Jones & Quincy Jones
The Parks and Recreation actress is the daughter of the legendary music producer.
Tom Cruise & William Mapother
The Lost actor has a very famous cousin in the Mission: Impossible star.
