Mariska Hargitay’s Reflections on Her Biological Father, Nelson Sardelli
Mariska Hargitay disclosed in May 2025 that her father, Mickey Hargitay, was not her biological parent.
The actress’ late mother, Jayne Mansfield, had a brief affair with Italian singer and comedian Nelson Sardelli, whom she confirmed to Vanity Fair is her true father. When Mariska reached her 20s, she saw a photograph of Sardelli for the first time and felt a “jolt” before uncovering the truth.
“I knew in an instant,” she reflected during a June 2025 appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “I don’t know how. I think throughout my life, all the countless moments … little fragments of a memory or moments I caught that seeped into my subconscious. Then I asked, ‘Who’s Nelson?’”
Mariska’s family dynamics were further examined in the My Mom Jayne documentary, which debuted on HBO in June 2025.
Keep reading to discover the actress’s candid remarks about her biological father:
Their First Meeting
Mariska met Sardelli when she was 30 years old. She attended one of his performances, and they encountered each other afterward.
“I went full Olivia Benson on him,” Mariska shared during her Vanity Fair interview, referencing her character from Law and Order: SVU. “I said, ‘I don’t want anything, I don’t need anything from you … I have a dad.’ There was this sense of loyalty. I wanted to remain loyal to Mickey.”
Accepting Her Family
Initially, Mariska faced challenges accepting that she had been “living a lie” for most of her life but found peace with the truth after connecting with Sardelli and his family.
“I grew up where I was meant to, and I know everyone made the best decision for me. I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter — that is not a falsehood,” she expressed during the same Vanity Fair interview. “This documentary is essentially a tribute to him, because no one was closer to me on this planet.”
Sardelli’s daughters, who are Mariska’s sisters, watched My Mom Jayne together with her and “just wept,” she shared.
“These two women I adore — I made them secrets! It’s truly heartbreaking to me,” she elaborated in her Vanity Fair profile, highlighting that they were often referred to as “family friends” publicly. “I’m not good with deception. Thus, I also created this film to relieve the burden from all of us.”
‘My Mom Jayne’
Mariska discussed Sardelli in the June 2025 documentary.
“It felt as if the floor had fallen out from beneath me. It was as though the foundation had crumbled and my reality was irrevocably altered,” she recalled when addressing the truth about her origins.
She also shared on the Today show that Sardelli was “overjoyed” about her documentary.
“He had been carrying this secret for years as well,” Mariska revealed during her June 2025 interview. “My sisters were ecstatic because they had been kept a secret. My other siblings were more reserved and said, ‘Wait, what? Why are you reopening old wounds?’ But after more discussions, they said, ‘Look, we support you. We believe in you, and it’s your story to share.’”
Keeping the Secret
The actress deemed it a “miracle” that the truth about her paternity never surfaced publicly.
“I still can’t believe no one has revealed this story,” she commented to Entertainment Weekly in June 2025. “I firmly believe my story was somehow divinely safeguarded, allowing me to share it on my own terms.”
She added, “As I got to know Nelson and he explained what transpired, it transformed into a much richer story. I realized everyone is trying their best. It no longer seemed so black and white to me.”
