Mariska Hargitay has dropped a shocking revelation about Mickey Hargitay, claiming that he is not her biological father. The Law & Order actor had known this for years but chose to go public only recently, Parade reported. The 61-year-old first discussed it ahead of the release of My Mom Jayne, a documentary about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield.
Mariska Hargitay discovered the shocking truth at 25
Mariska Hargitay first shared the news about her biological father being Italian singer Nelson Sardelli last month in an interview with Vanity Fair. In a chat with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she revealed that she found out about Sardelli when she was 25 years old. Hargitay was visiting someone who collected her mother’s memorabilia. For the Law and Order actor, the truth about her biological father made her feel that “identity was just smashed.”
Mariska Hargitay on confronting her father Mickey Hargitay
Mariska recounted the emotional moment she confronted Mickey Hargitay with the truth. At the time, Mickey was building her a house. The actress was “hysterically crying” when she went to see Mickey.
ALSO READ: Mariska Hargitay revisits the life and legacy of late mother Jayne Mansfield in new HBO documentary
Mickey’s reaction was firm and full of denial
“He was like, ‘What are you talking about? Are you crazy? That’s so not true,’” Mariska Hargitay said. Despite the shocking discovery, Mickey reassured her of his love and place in her life.
Mickey kept reminding her that Mariska is a “Hargitay to the end,” even if she didn’t share his blood, she recalled.
“Mini-Mickey” and the moment she grew up
“The irony is that I’m more like my dad than anyone in our whole family. I am mini-Mickey, so it was just a very extraordinarily painful moment,” Mariska Hargitay said. “I say that this is the moment that I became an adult, and it’s so visceral for me because I was in so much pain. I was so overwhelmed.”
The emotional weight of the moment marked a turning point in her life. Though the truth shattered her sense of identity, the love she shared with Mickey was stronger than any DNA.
After seeing how deeply the conversation affected Mickey, Mariska chose to let it go. “It doesn’t matter what I feel, I love him … and we’re done here, we’re done here,” she said. “I pretended that I believed him, and we never spoke of it again.”
Mickey Hargitay passed away in 2006. After that, Mariska built a relationship with Nelson Sardelli, now 90, and his daughters – her sisters.
“I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,” she told Vanity Fair in May. “I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter—that is not a lie.”
FAQs:
1. Who is Mariska Hargitay’s biological father?
Mariska Hargitay revealed that her biological father is Italian singer Nelson Sardelli, not Mickey Hargitay as previously believed.
2. When did Mariska Hargitay find out about her biological father?
She discovered the truth at the age of 25, during a visit to someone who collected memorabilia of her late mother, Jayne Mansfield.
3. How did Mickey Hargitay react when Mariska confronted him about her real father?
Mickey denied the claim, saying, “What are you talking about? Are you crazy?” However, he reassured Mariska of his unconditional love, saying she was a “Hargitay to the end.”
4. Did Mariska Hargitay build a relationship with Nelson Sardelli after Mickey’s death?
Yes, after Mickey Hargitay passed away in 2006, Mariska formed a bond with Nelson Sardelli and his daughters.
