Mariska Hargitay managed to keep a big family secret for decades — that her late father, Mickey Hargitay, was not her real dad. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actress’ late mom, Jayne Mansfield, had separated from Mickey in 1963 and had an affair with an Italian singer and performer named Nelson Sardelli, Mariska’s biological father. For decades, Mariska wasn’t ready to reveal the truth until she released her 2025 documentary, My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Harigtay, which features appearances from her siblings and Nelson himself.
Below, News47.us has gathered five facts about Nelson, his career, family and relationship with Mariska upon the release of her documentary.
Nelson was born on September 20, 1934, in São Paulo, Brazil. His parents were from Italy.
While growing up in Brazil, Nelson worked for General Motors in an economic research and analysis job. During a past interview, he said he moved to Pontiac, Michigan, but mass layoffs were happening in the area. So, he briefly moved back to Brazil to work in construction, then returned to the U.S. to pursue his entertainment career.
Despite initially struggling to get a foothold in the business, Nelson began performing in Las Vegas and finally found success.
Since 1965, Nelson has been a resident of Las Vegas.
Nelson shares his daughters — Mariska’s half-sisters — with his late wife, Fledia Fay Sardelli, who died in 2012. He eventually remarried his new wife, Lorraine Sardelli.
