Overview

• Mariska Hargitay premiered her directorial debut, My Mom Jayne, at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, unveiling the long-held secret that Nelson Sardelli, not Mickey Hargitay, is her biological father.
• Hargitay learned the truth in her 20s after seeing a photo of Sardelli, though Mickey denied it when confronted; she met Sardelli at age 30 but initially maintained loyalty to Mickey, who raised her.
• The documentary features interviews with both Sardelli and Hargitay's half-sisters, alongside her siblings, as she navigates reconciliation and understanding of her family's choices.
• Hargitay describes the film as a love letter to Mickey Hargitay, emphasizing his role in providing her with a stable and loving upbringing despite the secret of her paternity.
• My Mom Jayne received a standing ovation at Cannes and will air on HBO on June 27, offering a deeply personal exploration of identity and healing.