The “Law and Order: SVU” star writes a love letter to Father Mickey Hargitay, revealing his biological father, Nelson Saldelli.
Mariska Hargitai embarks on a family journey to honor her mother, 1950s movie star and pin-up model Jane Mansfield. At just three years old, Hargitay, 61, survived the infamous 1967 car accident that killed Mansfield, but had no memory of his famous mother.
But the misunderstood light and love for life of Mansfield is just part of the emotionally powerful revelation of “My Mom Jayne.” This is an HBO documentary directed and produced by the “Law & Order: SVU” star (June 27, 8 et/pt).
Harugitay unveils the secrets of her long-standing family. Her biological father was singer Nelson Saldelli, not Mickey Hargitay, a bodybuilder for Mr. Mr. Universe and singer Nelson Saldelli, Mansfield’s second husband, who lovingly raised Mariska. This life-changing discovery had a major impact on her world 30 years ago. Now, Hargitay talks about it for the first time in a documentary, introducing her newly disclosed family.
“I’m not going to lie. It was a pretty bumpy ride coming here, but it paid off,” Hargitay tells USA Today. “I don’t have words about what I’ve experienced, but I feel reinforced. We all have something to fear to approach in our lives. But when you actually go through the door and shine a light on it, beauty can come from the most frightening place.”
Hargitay felt that when she learned about her biological father, she would “burn spontaneously”
Since the NBC Proceeding debuted in 1999, Hargitay, who starred as Olivia Benson in “SVU,” avoided the pitfalls of her mother’s previous generations. The talented, multilingual Mansfield has appeared in “The Girl Can’t Head It” (1956) and “Does Success Ruin Rock Hunter?” (1957).
When Hargitay began acting in the 80s, her devoted father, Mickey (“My role model and mentor”) led her career. “He told me, ‘No one would tell you who you are,'” says Hargitay. “Because that’s exactly what happened to my mother. They told her, ‘We’ll put you in this box.’ My father planted this little tough guy in my head and asked, “What do you want to do in this world?”
He is currently in a meeting with long-time Mansfield fans in the 90s. Harugitei was shown a photo of Sardelli. She quickly realized that the Brazilian-born Italian singer was a biological father “at the cell phone level, in such a deep way.”
“I felt like I was trying to spontaneously burn,” says Hargitay, who calls the documentary a love letter to Mickey. “I built my life and identity based on my father. But I always knew something was wrong. Why didn’t I have his nose? He has this beautiful Roman nose and I have the nose of a little boxer.
The newspaper recorded a brief European relations between Sardelli and Mansfield in 1963 in the first divorce proceedings with Hargitey. However, Mansfield and Hargitay reunited, Mariska was born a few months later, and the couple eventually divorced in 1964.
There was a Hollywood whisper that Sardelli was Hargitey’s biological father. This was mentioned in every book about “tragic secret life” about Mansfield’s “tragic secret life” written by former spokesman Rusty Strait.
However, Mickey, who passed away in 2006, denied the revelation of his daughter Saldelli when he angeredly approached him. Still, the young actress, who had already appeared on shows like “Seinfeld,” headed to Atlantic City in 1994 to confront Saldelli. The shocked celebrities quickly confirmed their secrets.
“He told me, ‘I’ve been waiting for this moment for 30 years,'” Hargitay says. “I told him, ‘I have a father. I don’t want anything from you. I just had to understand.’
They spoke all night and agreed to keep their secrets away from the public eye. Hargitey deepened her bond from Sardelli’s two daughters, Giovanna and Pietra, in 47 years.
“He promised not to tell anyone,” Hargitay said. “And he didn’t. It was his gift for me – and my sister. I’m still staggering to it. And the rest is history.”
Who was interviewed in the “My Mama Jane” documentary?
For the documentary, Hargitay interviewed his older brothers Mickey Jr. and Zoltan. Mickey was raised at the age of 34 following the tragic death of Mansfield. “I was able to do a documentary about everyone in this film,” says Hargitay.
Half sister Jane Marie Mansfield (from Mansfield’s first marriage to Paul Mansfield) and her brother Tony Simber (from Mansfield’s third marriage to director Matt Simber). One of Harugitey’s first interviews often appeared with her daughter with 90-year-old Sardelli.
“I’m very close to my sister,” says Hargitay. “And we’re very similar, it’s crazy. Talk about the power of my God, DNA.”
Revealing family secrets was “catharsis,” according to Hargitay. “This shows that it wasn’t the strength that this had or the embrace of me. I feel like this 1,000 pounds have been lifted.”
The documentary premiered Raveus and Standing Ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in May, making it a must-have event at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 13th. Her newly revealed biological father and half sister were happy to walk the red carpet.
Hargitey calls his relationship with Sardelli “close, beautiful and respectful.” Amidst the madness about planning a Tribeca premiere at Carnegie Hall (Jayne Mansfield, who plays the violin, dreamed of performing), Saldelli checked in via email. In her reply, the irresponsible Harugitay enjoyed the joys of a newly opened relationship.
“I told him that some things were worth the wait and I had weight,” Hargitay said, tearfully recalling his memories. “And he wrote back, ‘I love you so much.’ It’s a very magical story. ”
