Mariska Hargitay Biography
Mariska Hargitay is an American actress and producer best known for her role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Her career has spanned decades, but beyond acting, she is also a passionate advocate for justice and healing. In 2025, she launched her own production company, Mighty Entertainment Production Company, with its first project titled “My Mom Jayne” — a deeply personal documentary about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield.
Mariska Hargitay Age and Birthday
Hargitay was born on January 23, 1964. As of 2025, she is 61 years old and continues to inspire both on and off the screen.
Mariska Hargitay Parents
Mariska is the daughter of Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield. She was raised by Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-born bodybuilder and actor who was married to Jayne. However, Mickey is not her biological father.
Mariska Hargitay Biological Father
Mariska’s biological father is Nelson Sardelli, an Italian singer and comedian. This revelation came to light in her 20s when she noticed a resemblance in a photo. After some research and family documents, the truth became clearer. Mariska met Nelson in 2004, at age 30, during a trip to Atlantic City. Though she kept her distance at first, they later formed a relationship, and she also connected with his daughters.
In 2025, Mariska opened up about her journey in her documentary My Mom Jayne, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and will air on HBO on June 27, 2025.
Mariska Hargitay Ethnicity
Hargitay is of mixed ethnicity, combining Italian, German, and English heritage. Her biological father, Nelson Sardelli, is an Italian-born singer and comedian, while her mother, iconic actress Jayne Mansfield, was of German and English descent.
Siblings
Mariska Hargitay grew up in a blended family with several siblings. She has two older half-brothers, Mickey Hargitay Jr. and Zoltan Hargitay, and a younger half-sister, Jayne Marie Mansfield, from her mother Jayne Mansfield’s previous relationships. Mariska also has siblings from her biological father, Nelson Sardelli. Though raised separately, she later formed a bond with some of Nelson’s daughters after learning the truth about her paternity. Despite their different backgrounds, Mariska values family deeply and maintains meaningful relationships with her siblings.
Mariska Hargitay Husband
Hargitay married actor Peter Hermann in 2004 after they met on the set of Law & Order: SVU. Since then, they’ve built a strong and lasting relationship.
Mariska Hargitay Children
Mariska and Peter have three children. Their oldest son, August, was born in 2006. They later adopted a daughter named Amaya and a son named Andrew. Mariska often shares that motherhood is one of the greatest joys in her life.
Mariska Hargitay Height
Hargitay is 5 feet 8 inches tall (approximately 172 cm tall).
Career (Movies and TV Shows)
Mariska began her career in the 1980s, appearing in small movie roles. Her big break came in 1999, when she started playing Olivia Benson in Law & Order: SVU. She has starred in the role for over two decades, making it one of the longest-running TV characters in history.
Some of her other works include:
Movies: Ghoulies, Leaving Las Vegas, Lake Placid
TV Shows: ER, Falcon Crest, and many guest roles before SVU
Mariska has won several awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role on SVU.
Entertainment Production Company
In 2025, Mariska Hargitay launched her Mighty Entertainment Production Company. Its first project, “My Mom Jayne”, is a documentary that explores the life of her mother, Jayne Mansfield, and reveals personal family history. The film reflects Mariska’s deep emotional journey and commitment to truth and healing.
Mariska Hargitay Net Worth
As of 2025, Hargitay has an estimated net worth of around $100 million. Most of her income comes from her long-running role in SVU, producing work, endorsements, and now, her own production company.
Mariska is active on Instagram under the handle @therealmariskahargitay, where she shares behind-the-scenes moments, family photos, advocacy content, and updates on her projects. She has a large and loyal fan base online.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is Mariska Hargitay’s real father?
Mariska Hargitay’s biological father is Nelson Sardelli, an Italian singer and comedian. She discovered this in her 20s and met him in 2004. She was raised by Mickey Hargitay, who was previously believed to be her father.
2. What is Mariska Hargitay’s production company?
Her production company is called Mighty Entertainment Production Company. Its first project is the documentary “My Mom Jayne”, which tells the story of her mother, Jayne Mansfield.
3. Is Mariska Hargitay married?
Yes. Mariska has been married to actor Peter Hermann since 2004. They met on the set of Law & Order: SVU.
4. How many children does Mariska Hargitay have?
Mariska and Peter have three children: August (biological), Amaya, and Andrew (both adopted).
5. What is Mariska Hargitay’s most famous role?
She is best known for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit #Law&order:SVU. She has been part of the show since 1999.
6. What is “My Mom Jayne” about?
“My Mom Jayne” is a documentary produced by Mariska Hargitay, sharing untold truths about her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, and revealing Mariska’s real paternity. It premiered at Cannes in 2025 and will air on HBO.
7. What happened to Mariska Hargitay’s mother, Jayne Mansfield?
Mariska Hargitay’s mother, Jayne Mansfield, tragically died in a car accident on June 29, 1967, when Mariska was just 3 years old. The crash occurred in Louisiana when their car collided with a tractor-trailer. Jayne Mansfield was killed instantly, along with two other adults in the front seat.
8. How tall is Mariska Hargitay?
She is 172 cm (about 5 feet 8 inches) tall.