Mariska Hargitay is set to introduce her extended family and her documentary “My Mom Jayne” at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 13. This marks Hargitay’s directing debut and offers an intimate look at her late mother, the iconic actress and bombshell Jayne Mansfield. Following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the documentary will be available to a broader audience on HBO starting June 27.
In “My Mom Jayne,” Hargitay and her siblings come together to share their first-ever on-camera reflections about their mother, who tragically passed away in 1967 at the age of 34 in a car accident. Hargitay, just three years old at the time, survived alongside her brothers but has no memories of her mother. The documentary features discussions with her two older brothers, Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, and her half-sister, Jayne Marie, offering a glimpse into their shared memories of life in Mansfield’s famous Pink Palace.
A significant highlight of the documentary is Hargitay’s long-held secret regarding her biological father, singer Nelson Sardelli. Although she always regarded her dad Mickey Hargitay as her rock, the documentary unveils her revelation about Sardelli’s paternity and recounts a dramatic confrontation she had with him three decades ago. This revelation has allowed Hargitay to embrace her family’s complexities and has brought her a newfound sense of freedom.
“My Mom Jayne” not only commemorates Jayne Mansfield’s legacy but also reveals the deep connections that bind Hargitay’s family. At the premiere, she’ll be supported by her husband, actor Peter Hermann, and castmates from “Law & Order: SVU,” including Ice-T and Christopher Meloni, along with other celebrities like Jon Hamm and Brooke Shields.
Hargitay expressed her excitement and relief about sharing her family’s story and notes the therapeutic nature of this journey. “It has paid off. Once you open the door and shed a bit of light on something, the beauty that comes from the scariest places is extraordinary,” she reflected.
With anticipation building for its release, “My Mom Jayne” promises to be more than just a documentary; it is a heartfelt exploration of family, legacy, and the bonds that transcend tragedy.