Mariska Hargitay is stepping into a new role—behind the camera. The longtime Law & Order: SVU star has directed a new HBO documentary titled My Mom Jayne, offering a deeply personal look at the life of her late mother, Jayne Mansfield.
The film, which premiered at Cannes and later screened at Tribeca, is now available to stream on HBO and Max.
The documentary explores Mansfield’s public image as a 1950s sex symbol while also shedding light on lesser-known aspects of her life, including her intelligence, ambition, and vulnerability.
Hargitay uses interviews, family footage, and emotional conversations with her siblings to tell the story. One of the most surprising revelations in the film is the confirmation that Mickey Hargitay, who raised Mariska, was not her biological father. That role belonged to Nelson Sardelli, a singer and former partner of Mansfield.
Hargitay has said that making the film helped her process long-standing family truths and better understand her mother’s complicated life.
She also explained that she now sees qualities of her mother—particularly her compassion and strength—in herself and in her character, Olivia Benson.
She’s reclaiming her mother’s story — and her own.#MyMomJayne, A Film by Mariska Hargitay, premieres June 27 on @StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/695TrHnn4W
— HBO Documentaries (@HBODocs) June 3, 2025
Family Reflections and Support Mark an Emotional Premiere
On June 23, the Los Angeles premiere of My Mom Jayne took place. Mariska Hargitay not only attended the red carpet premiere with her husband, actor Peter Hermann, and three children, but she also hosted a private screening for her siblings, publicly noting that both events were an incredible and healing experience for her.
Hargitay said that watching the film as a family further solidified their bond and allowed for long-needed conversation.
Critics have embraced the documentary's thoughtful and respectful representation of Jayne Mansfield. Instead of simply depicting the demise of someone famous—Mansfield's life and opportunities are presented with context of being an individual.
Reviewers have also emphasized Hargitay's directing, which they described as both heartfelt attention and meticulous craft.
In the role of director, Hargitay shows us another layer of her storytelling ability.
My Mom Jayne is certainly a biography, but more so, it is the daughter's tribute to a mother; and very importantly it is a reminder of how much goes into public thought and spirit than the general public can or will ever realize.
