Mariska Hargitay revealed a family secret after decades: her real father is Nelson Sardelli
30 june 2025 в 18:37
Mariska Hargitay managed to keep a big family secret for decades — that her late father, Mickey Hargitay, was not her biological father. The mother of the «Law and Order: Special Victims Unit» actress, Jayne Mansfield, separated from Mickey in 1963 and began a romance with an Italian singer and artist named Nelson Sardelli, Mariska’s biological father. For decades, Mariska was not ready to reveal the truth until she released her 2025 documentary film «My Mother Jayne: Mariska Hargitay’s Film», - in which her brothers and Nelson himself participated.
Below, Hollywood Life has gathered five facts about Nelson, his career, family, and his relationship with Mariska after the release of her documentary film.
Nelson was born on September 20, 1934 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His parents were from Italy.
During his upbringing in Brazil, Nelson worked at General Motors in economic research and analysis. In a past interview, he mentioned that he moved to Pontiac, Michigan, but there were massive layoffs in that area. So he briefly returned to Brazil to work in construction, and then returned to the US to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Despite initial challenges in business, Nelson began performing in Las Vegas and eventually achieved success.
Since 1965, Nelson has been living in Las Vegas.
Nelson shares his daughters — Mariska’s half-sisters — with his late wife Fleide Fay Sardelli, who passed away in 2012. Eventually, he married his new wife, Lorraine Sardelli.
At the age of 20, Mariska began to suspect that Nelson was her biological father after someone showed her a photo of him, according to Vanity Fair. Mariska’s mother, Jayne, filed for divorce from Mickey in 1963 and began a romance with Nelson, but reconciled with Mickey a few months before Mariska’s birth in 1964.
Jayne died in a car accident in 1967. For many years, Mariska and the world believed that Mickey was her father. Accepting the truth, Mariska visited Nelson in Atlantic City, where he was performing, and introduced herself. Nelson emotionally told her, «I've been waiting for this moment for 30 years», - but Mariska was cautious, as she explained to Vanity Fair in May 2025.
«I truly became Olivia Benson», - she said, referring to her character from «Law and Order: Special Victims Unit». «I said, 'I don’t need anything from you… I have a father.' It was a kind of loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey».
Before the release of her documentary film «My Mother Jayne» in June 2025, Mariska arranged a private screening for Nelson’s daughters, with whom she had become close over the years.
«They just cried and cried», - Mariska recalled during an interview with Vanity Fair. «These two women, whom I love so much — I made them secrets! It’s so heartbreaking for me».
As for Mariska’s motivation in creating the documentary film? «I'm bad at lying. So I made this film to unload all of us», - she told Vanity Fair
Below, Hollywood Life has gathered five facts about Nelson, his career, family, and his relationship with Mariska after the release of her documentary film.
Nelson was born on September 20, 1934 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His parents were from Italy.
During his upbringing in Brazil, Nelson worked at General Motors in economic research and analysis. In a past interview, he mentioned that he moved to Pontiac, Michigan, but there were massive layoffs in that area. So he briefly returned to Brazil to work in construction, and then returned to the US to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Despite initial challenges in business, Nelson began performing in Las Vegas and eventually achieved success.
Since 1965, Nelson has been living in Las Vegas.
Nelson shares his daughters — Mariska’s half-sisters — with his late wife Fleide Fay Sardelli, who passed away in 2012. Eventually, he married his new wife, Lorraine Sardelli.
At the age of 20, Mariska began to suspect that Nelson was her biological father after someone showed her a photo of him, according to Vanity Fair. Mariska’s mother, Jayne, filed for divorce from Mickey in 1963 and began a romance with Nelson, but reconciled with Mickey a few months before Mariska’s birth in 1964.
Jayne died in a car accident in 1967. For many years, Mariska and the world believed that Mickey was her father. Accepting the truth, Mariska visited Nelson in Atlantic City, where he was performing, and introduced herself. Nelson emotionally told her, «I've been waiting for this moment for 30 years», - but Mariska was cautious, as she explained to Vanity Fair in May 2025.
«I truly became Olivia Benson», - she said, referring to her character from «Law and Order: Special Victims Unit». «I said, 'I don’t need anything from you… I have a father.' It was a kind of loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey».
Before the release of her documentary film «My Mother Jayne» in June 2025, Mariska arranged a private screening for Nelson’s daughters, with whom she had become close over the years.
«They just cried and cried», - Mariska recalled during an interview with Vanity Fair. «These two women, whom I love so much — I made them secrets! It’s so heartbreaking for me».
As for Mariska’s motivation in creating the documentary film? «I'm bad at lying. So I made this film to unload all of us», - she told Vanity Fair
© Kolganov Andrey
