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Mariska Hargitay poses during the "My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay" photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France© Getty Images

Mariska Hargitay shares emotional family photo ahead of My Mom Jayne premiere

The Law & Order: SVU star will premiere the documentary about her mom Jayne Mansfield at the TriBeCa Film Festival

Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
June 12, 2025
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Mariska Hargitay is just one day away from having her hometown finally get to see her family story.

The Law & Order: SVU star has been sharing her love for her late mom Jayne Mansfield in recent weeks, in anticipation to the release of the documentary on her life, My Mom Jayne.

The HBO documentary, the actress' directorial debut, first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and come Friday, June 13, it will finally premiere in her home city, at the TriBeCa Film Festival.

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Ahead of the big night, Mariska took to Instagram and shared a rarely-seen throwback photo of her as a baby with her mom, proving just how much she looks like her.

In the sweet photo, Jayne appears wearing a hot pink robe lined with feathers, and a bedazzled bandana atop her platinum blonde hair, and she is hoisting up baby Mariska.

"Thank you for the incredible outpouring of love for #MyMomJayne," she then wrote in her caption, adding: "It means the world to me. Because of the beautiful, overwhelming response, WE’VE JUST RELEASED MORE TICKETS for our @tribeca premiere at @carnegiehall! I can't wait to share this story with you. See you THIS Friday, June 13th,"she added.

Split image of Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay© Getty
Mariska really takes after Jayne

Fans and celebrity friends alike were quick to take to the comments section under the post and gush over it, with her good friend Ali Wentworth leaving behind a string of pink heart emojis, as others followed suit with: "So exciting, CONGRATULATIONS," and: "I'm so so excited for this! Can't wait for the documentary of the year!" as well as: "Seeing you put your heart and your soul into something like this makes it something your fans want to experience WITH you. It's just really special."

The forthcoming documentary includes the bombshell revelation that Mariska's father, long believed to have been Jayne's ex-husband Mickey Hargitay, is instead Italian singer Nelson Sardelli, with whom Jayne had a brief relationship.

Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann attend the amfAR Gala Cannes 2025 presented by Chopard at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 22, 2025 in Cap d'Antibes, France© Getty Images for amfAR
The actress with her husband Peter Hermann at the amfAR Gala Cannes 2025

Before her untimely death aged 34, Jayne was married three times and welcomed five children. She first married Paul Mansfield in 1950, and they had one daughter, Jayne Marie Mansfield, 74, that year. She next wed Mickey in 1958, and they had three children together: Mickey Hargitay Jr., 66, then Zoltan, 64, and Mariska. After divorcing Mickey in 1964, Jayne wed Matt Climber, and welcomed her fifth child, Tony Climber, 59.

Miklos Friedrich Hermann, Amaya Josephine Hermann, US director Mariska Hargitay, Andrew Nicolas Hermann and Peter Hermann arrive for the screening of the film "My Mom Jayne: a Film by Mariska Hargitay" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2025© AFP via Getty Images
The couple's kids attended the Cannes premiere of the documentary

Jayne died in a 1967 car crash in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her car, a 1966 Buick Electra 225, crashed head-on at high speed to the back of a tractor trailer, instantly killing her along with her attorney Sam Brody and their driver Ronnie Harrison, who was 20 at the time. Mariska, Mickey Jr. and Zoltan were in the back of the car, and faced minor injuries.

Mariska Hargitay attends the "Die My Love" red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2025 in Cannes, France© FilmMagic

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show last year, she reflected about how turning 60 helped her overcome some of her childhood trauma. Noting how "60 is the new 50," she first shared: "I think as we age, we step into our power, our focus of what's important narrows down, and we get time and space back. I think  that the gift that I have is clarity."

Host Drew Barrymore then asked whether she thinks "it's possible to get there at any younger point," and Mariska explained: "For me — and you know, both of us had these very specific childhoods with pain and trauma that gets in our bodies — and for me, as a young person, I spent my time running from it."

Recommended videoYou may also likeWATCH: Mariska Hargitay talks 'new beginnings' as she reflects on year of milestone anniversaries

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