Mariska Hargitay made headlines when she revealed that her biological father was not Mickey Hargitay — but was, instead, Nelson Sardelli.
Mariska was born in 1964 to late actress Jayne Mansfield, who died in a June 1967 car crash. The incident left the Law & Order: SVU star, who was 3 at the time, with severe injuries.
The 2025 documentary My Mom Jayne explores Jayne’s life before and after the car accident, including Mariska’s mom’s split from Mickey and brief romance with Nelson. Jayne called it quits with Mickey and reunited with Nelson before Mariska’s birth in 1964. The pair divorced that year.
Mickey raised Mariska and siblings Mickey Jr. and Zoltán, uncovering the truth about her biological father’s identity in her 20s when she saw a picture of Nelson. When she brought it up to Mickey, he denied it. (Jayne was mom to daughter Jayne Marie, born in 1950 with first husband Paul Mansfield and son Tony, born in 1965 with third husband Matt Cimber.)
Mariska went on to meet Nelson when she was 30 years old and claimed she went “full Olivia Benson on him,” referring to her beloved character. “I was like, ‘I don’t want anything, I don’t need anything from you … I have a dad,’” Mariska recalled. “There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey.”
Mariska ultimately changed her mind, deciding that she “grew up where [she] was supposed to.” She added, “I do know that everyone made the best choice for me. I’m Mickey Hargitay’s daughter — that is not a lie.”
So who is Nelson? Scroll down to learn more about Mariska’s biological father:
Nelson Has Other Daughters
Mariska told Vanity Fair in 2025 that she and Nelson’s two other daughters, who appeared in the documentary My Mom Jayne, had a private screening for My Mom Jayne.
“They just wept and wept and wept,” Hargitay told the outlet while becoming emotional. “These two women that I love so much — I made them secrets! It’s so heartbreaking to me.”
Mariska explained that she referred to her sisters as “family friends,” adding, “I’m not good with lies. So I also made this movie to unburden all of us.”
Nelson Served in the Army
Norm Clarke’s Vegas Diary reported that Nelson served in the Army for most of 1965 and until 1958. He went on to work in construction before landing a gig singing at an open mic place and pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.
When Mariska was 30, she went to watch Nelson perform in Atlantic City. She claimed to Vanity Fair in 2025 that he became emotional, telling her, “I’ve been waiting 30 years for this moment.”
Mariska Hargitay Reveals the Identity of Her Biological Father
Nelson Resides in Las Vegas
Norm Clarke’s Vegas Diary reported in 2019 that Nelson has been in Las Vegas since 1965, nearly one decade after immigrating from Brazil. “I came to the United States in 1956, to Pontiac, Michigan, because in Brazil I worked for General Motors, but they were laying off people all over Michigan,” he explained to the outlet.
Nelson Pursued Acting
Nelson appeared in films including 1970’s Myra Breckinridge, 1982’s Fake Out and 2001’s Chilly Dogs.
Nelson Is Active In Philanthropy
The Las Vegas Sun reported in 1998 that Nelson organized “Star Shine” fundraisers, with celebrities shining shoes in return for charity donations.
