Mariska Hargitay Celebrates Late Mom Jayne Mansfield In Honor Of Her 90th Birthday

Apr 24, 2023 by apost team

Mariska Hargitay had a turbulent start to life when her mother, Jayne Mansfield, died in a tragic car accident in 1967 when she was just 34 years old. Hargitay was only three years old at the time and sadly was in the vehicle at the time of the incident, along with her brothers Miklós (Mickey Jr.) and Zoltán Hargitay.

Luckily, all three children escaped with minor injuries. We can only imagine how traumatizing it was to witness the accident first-hand. But Hargitay survived the accident and the grief and has not let it ruin her life. Instead, she has carried on her mother's legacy and, in the process, made her own.

Hargitay was born in Santa Monica, California. Her father was the Hungarian-born former Mr. Universe, Mickey Hargitay, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 80. After the death of her mother, Hargitay was raised by her father and his third wife, Ellen Siano, along with her siblings and half-siblings.

Hargitay followed in her mother's footsteps by entering beauty pageants. She has crowned Miss Beverly Hills USA and also competed in the Miss California USA pageant before later attending acting school. She is best known for starring as Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." It was in this role that Hargitay's strong resemblance to her mother became apparent. 

Six decades later, Mansfield's memory still lives with the current generation because her daughter, Hargitay, kept on commemorating and honoring as much as she could. In an Instagram post, the actress posted a photo of her mother in celebration of what could have been her 90th birthday on Apr. 19, 2023. Read on to learn more about Mansfield, Hargitay, and how the latter lived to tell her story since her passing.  

Mansfield was born on Apr. 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Inspired by Shirley Temple, Mansfield took acting and dance lessons, Her Moments reported. She also won various beauty contests, which helped her gain exposure.

Mansfield's career finally took off when she was given a part in the low-budget film "Female Jungle" in 1955. She received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" in 1957. 

Her daughter, Hargitay, is best known for starring as Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." 

For most of her life, Hargitay has been compared significantly to her mother. While it could spark some insecurities and individuality problems for her, she has learned to embrace it later on: "Someone once said about (remembering) my mother: 'All you have to do is look in the mirror'."

On many occasions, Hargitay has honored her mother. In 2021, she wore a bright pink dress at the Glamour's Women of the Year Awards, a color that signified her mother's favorite color. 

"The pink does have great significance because I'm bringing my mother with me tonight, and she's here. She was one of the most glamorous women in the world, and I just hope that I can do her justice," Hargitay said, according to Today.

In the same award show, Margitay never forgot her mother in her speech:

"We have many pictures of her in our house, and my God, she is just so unbelievably glamorous. But I think that her glamour, her real glamour, the glamour of her luminous, tender, searching heart, was deeper and more beautiful than she ever knew."

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In an Instagram post commemorating her mother's birthday, Hargitay shared posted a black and white photo of her mother back in her prime. 

"Happy birthday Mama. We live to love you more each day.💗," she wrote in the caption. 

The post has since amassed more than 130,000 likes from her loyal followers. As expected, tributes, well wishes, and messages of support have poured out in the comment section. 

"YOU are her legacy. you can see her so clearly in you & I know she'd be proud to call you her daughter ❤️," a fan commented. 

Another person also took notice of Hargitay and Mansfield's striking physical resemblance with each other. 

"Still can't get over how much you look like ur mama 😍 happy birthday to her," another greeted. 

"There is so much of you in her, and that is such a beautiful blessing. Happy Birthday to your mama. 🖤" someone reminded Hargitay. 

Unbeknownst to many, Mansfield is much more than an entertainer and an actress; Hargitay made sure people knew about that. 

In an interview with People Magazine, Hargitay revealed an interesting unknown fact about her mother.  

"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 dogs … She was an inspiration, she had this appetite for life, and I think I share that with her," she said in honor of her. 

Notably, Hargitay was only three years old when her Mansfield tragically died in a car crash accident. Although she does not remember the crash that she and her mother got into, she was reminded of it by a zigzag scar on the side of her head and the wonderful legacy that her mother had left behind. 

Are you a fan of Mariska Hargitay or Jayne Mansfield? What can you say about Mariska's birthday post about her mother? Do you think she would have achieved more if she was alive right now? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Mariska Hargitay fans!