Who Are Mariska Hargitay's Parents? All We Know About Law & Order: SVU Star's Mom And Dad
Here’s all you need to know about the actress Mariska Hargitay’s parents, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay.
![Mickey Hargitay, Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay (CC: Getty Images) Mickey Hargitay, Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay (CC: Getty Images)](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-08/2051353405_untitled-design-2024-08-13t172112-079.jpg)
Trigger warning: This article contains a reference to the tragic death.
Not many people know this, but the Law & Order: SVU actress Mariska Hargitay hails from a famous Hollywood family. Yes, you read that right. The actress and her siblings, Miklos and Zoltan, are the children of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay.
Jayne, as you may all know, was one of the most popular Hollywood actresses. Mariska's father was a bodybuilder turned actor, Mickey Hargitay. Both of her parents have worked alongside one another on screen as well.
The pair, who tied the knot in 1958, split in 1964. Jayne sadly passed away pretty young, at the age of 34, in 1967 due to a car crash. The actress's father passed away in 2006 after battling an illness for a long time. The Law & Order star always openly talks about her parents.
If you want to know more about the ex-pair, look no further because you are at the right place! Here's all you need to know about Mariska Hargitay's parents.
How did Jayne and Mickey meet?
Jayne was the first to spot Mickey. He had claimed the Mr. Universe title, and it was said that Mae West had reached out to him to join the muscle men in her Las Vegas production, The Mae West Revue, as reported by The Independent.
According to the outlet, Jayne happened to be one of the attendees. When she was asked what she would like to have, referring to Mickey, she answered, "I'll have a steak and the man on the left."
Jayne and Mickey got married in Los Angeles
The pair took the next step in their relationship and tied the knot at Glass Wayfarer's Seaside Chapel in Los Angeles on January 13, 1958. As per Entertainment Weekly, 100 guests were in attendance during the ceremony.
But that marriage did not last long as they would opt for a divorce in 1964. Both individuals eventually found new partners for themselves and remarried. Jayne married director Matt Cimber, and Mickey tied the knot with Ellen Siano.
After the iconic actress passed away, Mariska and her two siblings were brought up by Mickey and Ellen, as per People Magazine.
Details about Mariska’s parent’s Pink Palace
Both individuals bought a huge mansion on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, a year after getting married. The house became known as the Pink Palace as they utilized different shades of pink for their 25-room mansion, per Architectural Digest.
According to People Magazine, back in 1960, the Promises! Promises! star gave a tour of the lavish house to BBC. The entire mansion was equipped with wholesome things which signified their love for one another.
Mickey built a heart-shaped swimming pool for the actress, which was 40 feet wide. "I love you Jaynie" was written on it in gold foil at the bottom. There were multiple custom details that Mickey had designed throughout their mansion.
As per the outlet, Curbed LA mentions that after their split, the massive mansion was owned by Ringo Starr and Engelbert Humperdinck, among many others.
Jayne and Mickey welcomed three children together
The pair had three children together: Mariska, Miklos, and Zoltan. But both individuals had children from their past relationships. The actress had given birth to a daughter, Jayne Marie, when she was previously married, and Mickey and his previous partner also had a daughter, Tina.
As per People Magazine, the Hollywood icon conversed with Star Weekly Magazine and said, "We take our children everywhere we go," adding, "I don't believe in having them and then leaving them to someone else to bring up."
But it is just Mariska who is part of showbiz among her siblings. Her older brother Zoltan has contributed to the art department of many films in the 1990s. Miklos has owned a plant shop for over 40 years in L.A. He has opted for a more private life.
Mariska’s father truly inspired her
As per the publication, back in 2019, the actress spoke about her late father to Parade. She referred to her dad as a "superhero" and compared him to Wonder Woman. The actress said, "She's the female version of him." Mariska also stated that her father gave so much advice and "shored" her up from a young age.
She also acknowledged that he set so many "unattainable goals" and achieved them by "beating his own drum." She added, "He used to say that to me. Like, 'What does it matter what people think?' He was so clear in what it took to succeed."
Before Mickey's passing, the father-daughter duo attended many red carpets together. When she won a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Drama TV Series, she mentioned her parents during her acceptance speech.
Mariska said, "Forty-nine years ago, my mother accepted (a Golden Globe), and my father was with her. And I'm lucky enough tonight to have my father here with me." She continued, "You are my hero. You've taught me not only by your words but by example, Dad, and I love you."
Mariska talks about the deep bond she feels with her mother
The mother and daughter's bond has always been deep even though Jayne passed away when Mariska was very young. According to the outlet, back in 2010, she spoke with Good Housekeeping about it. She stated that she understood Jayne in a new way that gave her "peace."
While elaborating on being a mom, she added, "Being a mom has been healing. Now I understand the love she had in her, and it makes me feel closer to her."
The Law & Order actress, along with her husband and actor, Peter Hermann, has three children: August, Andrew, and Amaya.
While conversing with People in 2019, she revealed, “My mother was this amazing, beautiful, glamorous sex symbol — but people didn’t know that she played the violin and had a 160 IQ and had five kids and loved dog.”
Mariska added that Jayne was ahead of her time and she was an “inspiration.” who had an “appetite for life.” She continued saying that she thought she shared that with her.
Mickey graces the 100th episode of Law & Order: SVU
The Law & Order: SVU’s 100th episode was graced by none other than Mariska’s father. The 2003 episode titled, Control, featured Mickey who played a grandfather in the opening scene, who saw a bleeding man fall from an escalator. He later on gives a statement to Mariska’s character, Detective Olivia Benson, per the outlet.
![](https://www.pinkvilla.com/assets/images/newsletter-icon.png)