"It's hard getting it together, guys!"- Jayne Mansfield's daughter Mariska Hargitay opens up about her documentary, My Mom Jayne

Mariska Hargitay's documentary film My Mom Jayne was released on HBO and HBO Max on June 27, 2025. It chronicles the personal and professional life of actress Jayne Mansfield. Hargitay directed the film, her feature directorial debut, and also co-produced it alongside Trish Adlesic. Nancy Abraham, Lauran Bromley, and Lisa Heller serve as its executive producers.

The 61-year-old actress appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers on June 26, 2025, and talked about discovering her mother's multi-faceted personality in depth while filming the documentary.

"She certainly got to be seen as a three-dimensional person, which she was, and to learn about all the different facets of her—her musical ability, how serious of an actor she wanted to be, and the fact that she navigated five children and a career and the glamour of it all. I mean, it's hard getting it together, guys!"

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What to expect from My Mom Jayne?

With a runtime of 106 minutes, My Mom Jayne debuted at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2025. Before its release on Max, the film received a limited theatrical release on June 20, 2025. It examines Jayne Mansfield's life through the lens of her fame while offering a glimpse into her personal life and multiple marriages.

The official synopsis of My Mom Jayne, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:

"Mariska Hargitay was three years old when her mother, Jayne Mansfield, tragically died in a car accident at the age of 34. The film follows Mariska as she seeks to know, understand, and embrace her mother for the first time."

It continues:

"Through intimate interviews and a collection of never-before-seen photos and home movies, she grapples with her mother's public and private legacy and discovers the layers and depth of who Jayne was, not only to her audience but to those who were closest to her."

Jayne Mansfield's life was cut short at age 34 when she died in a car accident on June 29, 1967. Her 3-year-old daughter, Mariska, was in the same car, but she survived the crash along with her two brothers. In the film, the Law & Order: SVU star pieces together her mother's life through pictures, home videos, archival footage, and interviews.

Mansfield rose to prominence as a Playboy model and successfully transitioned into a leading Hollywood actress in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, according to a report by Town&Country Magazine, it was her "blonde bombshell" image that initially drew public attention to her on a global scale.

Her film credits include The Burglar, Kiss Them for Me, The Wayward Bus, Promises! Promises!, The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw, etc. She is best remembered for her Golden Globe award-winning role as Jerri Jordan in the musical comedy film The Girl Can't Help It in 1956.

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My Mom Jayne takes a look at her personal life

In My Mom Jayne, Mariska sits down with her half-siblings (through her mother, Jayne Marie Mansfield), Mickey Hargitay Jr., and Zoltan Hargitay, to reminisce about their time together. Furthermore, it includes archival footage of Mickey Hargitay, Sam Brody, Groucho Marx, Merv Griffin, Bob Hope, Jack Paar, and Edward R. Murrow.

According to Us Weekly, Mariska also reveals a long-held family secret: she was born out of wedlock, through Jayne's affair with the Italian singer, Nelson Sardelli. However, she was raised by Mickey Hargitay and only met Nelson in her 30s. Her half-siblings (through Sardelli), Pietra Sardelli and Giovanna Sardelli, also appear in the documentary.

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Stay tuned for more updates about My Mom Jayne and other movies and television shows from 2025.