Mariska Hargitay is on a quest to learn more about her parents in her upcoming documentary, My Mom Jayne.
“I’ve spent my whole life distancing myself from my mother,” the Law & Order: SVU star, 61, said in the official trailer for My Mom Jayne, which dropped on Tuesday, June 3. “Jayne Mansfield, the sex symbol.”
Mansfield was best known for being an actress and Playboy model. In the HBO doc’s trailer, a throwback clip showed Mansfield explaining that she used her “pinup-type publicity” to get her “foot in the door.”
Hargitay’s mother died in a car accident in 1967 at age 34 when Hargitay was just a toddler, so the actress grew up not knowing her mom. Instead, all she had was the public image of her — which Hargitay distanced herself from.
“Her career made me want to do it differently. But I want to understand her now,” she explained. “I was 3 years old when my mom died and I don’t have any memories of her. And then my dad died in 2006. I’ve never talked to my siblings about their experiences.”
Mariska has two older brothers, Miklós “Mickey Jr.” Hargitay and Zoltán Hargitay. She also has two half-siblings, Jayne Marie Mansfield and Antonio “Tony” Cimber on her mother’s side. (Mariska also has a half-sibling named Tina Hargitay from her dad Mickey Hargitay’s first marriage).
In the documentary, Mariska sits down with her siblings to discuss their experiences with Jayne.
“You have all these memories and I’m envious of that,” Mariska told her older sister, who was 16 when their mom died.
Jayne Marie added, “In the beginning, I had her to myself. She’d take me everywhere.”
When addressing their mother’s public persona, Mickey Jr. acknowledged it was an act and he knew that Jayne was more than just what she let the world see.
“I looked the other way because I knew she was really smart,” Mickey Jr. said.
Mariska then appeared to broach the subject of her recent learning that Mickey was not her birth father. (Earlier this year, Mariska revealed that her biological father is Italian singer and comedian Nelson Sardelli.)
“Something I’ve also realized is keeping a secret doesn’t honor anyone,” the actress said in a voiceover.
Mariska can later be seen having an emotional moment with one of her brothers as they comfort each other in a tight embrace. The camera then panned to the Emmy winner and her siblings headed to what appeared to be a garage.
“Reclaiming our family story. That is what this is about for me,” Mariska said. “Because she is a part of me. I want to know her as Jayne. My mom Jayne.”
In addition to appearing in the documentary, Mariska worked behind the scenes as the project’s director and producer.
My Mom Jane premieres June 27 on HBO Max.
