Mariska Hargitay was joined by her beloved children, Amaya, Andrew and August on May 17 as they walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, hours after she revealed a decades-long shocking family secret.
Along with Mariska’s husband Peter Hermann, the family attended the screening and premiere for Mariska’s directorial debut My Mom Jayne: a Film by Mariska Hargitay on May 17, 2025.
© WireImageMy Mom Jayne wil air on HBO in 2025.
Marking Mariska’s directorial debut, the documentary marks the first time the actress has publicly shared intimate details of her mother’s legacy – and in it she reveals details of her own parentage, sharing that her biological father is an Italian singer named Nelson Sardelli, not Mickey Hargitay, her mother’s second husband.
“Tonight I’m celebrating the power that film has for me to remember — somebody I didn’t have the good fortune to know or grow up with,” she told the crowds at the festival.
© AFP via Getty ImagesMariska, 61, looked stunning in a bold dark pink sequin gown with a black silk bardot neckline.
She accessorized with silk black gloves, and wore her hair swept to one side to show off the gorgeous drop earrings she was wearing.
© AFP via Getty ImagesAugust, 18, and 13-year-old Andrew looked dapper in black tuxedos, matching their dad, while Amaya, 14, rocked a sweet black dress with diamante detailing, a black cropped blazer and kitten heels.
Law & Order: SVU actress Mariska and Peter welcomed their first son, August, in 2006 and five years later, in April 2011, they adopted their daughter Amaya.
Six months later, in October, the couple adopted their son Andrew.
© Getty ImagesMariska and Peter first met in 2001 on the set of Law & Order: SVU, when he was guest starring as defense attorney Trevor Langan.
© Getty ImagesThe husband and wife duo keep their private life away from the spotlight and in 2023 the family stepped out for one of their first public appearances for the Stuttering Association For The Young (SAY) Benefit Gala in 2023.
They also attended the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Amaya and Mariska were at the premiere of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour movie in Los Angeles.
© GettyJayne died in a car accident in 1967; Mariska and her brothers were also in the car.
At the time of her death she was one of Hollywood’s original blonde bombshells and an icon of 1950s American celebrity culture, after finding fame as a Playboy Model and later an actress.
But she was known for having a high IQ, and her public persona was not one Jayne enjoyed, as she was known as the “smartest dumb blonde”.
