Movies

In My Mom Jayne, Mariska Hargitay Seeks Answers About the Mother She Never Knew

BBG News

At the tender age of three, Mariska Hargitay, along with two of her siblings, endured a tragic car accident that claimed the life of their famous mother, Jayne Mansfield. The incident occurred as the adults in the front – Mansfield, her partner at the time, and the driver – perished instantly. The children were fast asleep in the back; it was only later that Mariska’s two brothers, who had sustained injuries, were removed from the accident site. Unbeknownst to them, Mariska was trapped beneath the passenger seat, suffering a head injury. It was Zoltan, her six-year-old brother, who called attention to her predicament; otherwise, she might have remained undiscovered until it was too late.

In the moving documentary titled “My Mom Jayne,” Mariska Hargitay, who is now 61, shares fragments of her past and memories to uncover the truth about her own identity and come to terms with the mother she never truly knew. Since her twenties, Hargitay had known that the man who raised her, Mickey Hargitay, was not her biological father. It’s only now that she is fully grappling with this revelation. The documentary takes us through Mansfield’s life and career: She became a mother at 16, lived in Texas with her husband until she couldn’t take it anymore because of her desire to become a movie star. Eventually, Hollywood called, where she struggled to make ends meet with small film roles. In 1955, she landed a leading role on Broadway in “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” which paved the way for more significant film roles. However, much like Marilyn Monroe, Mansfield aspired to be seen as a serious actor, but ultimately settled for being a sultry sex symbol, a choice that her children remember as peculiar and unsettling compared to the mother they knew at home.

Born on TV’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mariska Hargitay never found ease with either her mother’s public image or her personal life decisions. At just 34 years old, Mansfield passed away in 1967, not long after Hargitay was born. Her parents had divorced at this time, but Mickey and Ellen Siano, his wife following the divorce, took on the responsibility of raising Hargitay and two of her brothers following Mansfield’s untimely death. In the documentary, her two other half-siblings also contribute, helping to address areas that Hargitay’s research couldn’t fully cover.

Though Hargitay portrays a content family life as depicted by her father and stepmother, she also articulates feelings of unease and confusion throughout most of her life. She struggled to understand her mother’s actions and harbored resentment due to hidden truths. However, after reading her book, “My Mom Jayne“, when Hargitay empathetically tells her mother, “I see myself in you for the first time”, we too gain insights into this charismatic, ambitious woman whose stardom didn’t reach its full potential. She wasn’t our mom, but her concealed secrets echo the uncomfortable truths that often lie within our own family histories. Families are a blend of imperfect individuals, embodying both their tragic and glorious aspects.

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2025-06-27 16:06

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