Mariska Hargitay was reportedly left behind in mom Jayne Mansfield's car after the fatal accident

For Mariska Hargitay, revisiting the life of her mother, Jayne Mansfield, meant stepping back into a trauma that shaped her from childhood. The Law & Order: SVU actress made her directorial debut with My Mom Jayne, a documentary that had its world premiere at New York’s Carnegie Hall during the Tribeca Festival on June 13.

In one particularly heartbreaking scene, her brother Zoltan recalls how Mansfield had argued with her boyfriend, Sam Brody, before moving to the front of the car while the children remained asleep in the back.

Reflecting on that fateful night in 1967, he shared:

"I often think about why she didn't just stay in the backseat with us? But I remember her comforting me, telling me I was going to be fine. 20 minutes later, half an hour, I heard her scream so loud, and that was it."

The film also reveals that Mariska was briefly left behind at the scene of the crash.

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Mariska Hargitay learned she was trapped under a seat in the crash that killed her mother

Just before turning seven, Zoltan Hargitay lived through a night that would leave deep physical and emotional scars. Describing the aftermath of the car crash that claimed the life of their mother, Jayne Mansfield, Mariska's brother shared:

“It felt like my skin didn't move, because it was bloody all over.”

Zoltan and his older brother Mickey Jr. were rescued by nearby adults, pulled from the wreckage. But soon after, Zoltan noticed someone was missing, as Mariska Hargitay hadn’t been taken out.

According to Ellen Hargitay, the siblings’ stepmother, Mariska was later discovered inside the vehicle. She had suffered a head injury and had become lodged under a seat.

Though Mariska was publicly believed to be the daughter of actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, she revealed in the documentary that her biological father was actually Nelson Sardelli.

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Mariska Hargitay says telling her story was ‘empowering’ at My Mom Jayne world premiere

Nelson Sardelli, now in his nineties, stood by Mariska Hargitay’s side at the New York City premiere of My Mom Jayne, joining her for the documentary’s debut at the Tribeca Festival. Also in attendance were Mariska’s sisters Giovanna and Pietra Sardelli, along with her eldest sister, Jayne Marie Mansfield.

Mariska told People Magazine on the red carpet,

“This is my story to tell. I had a rough time with the fact that somebody else told it before I did, and that was the impetus of the movie — that I wanted to tell my story.”

The actress went on to reflect on the healing power of self-expression. She stated,

“I encourage a lot of women, and men, to tell their stories.”

She described the process as both “empowering” and something that “gives ourselves back parts of ourselves.” Mariska added,

“I feel like this has been sort of divinely protected, that it hasn't come out in the world, and so it's like I was protected until I was ready to tell my story.”

Speaking with Glamour, Mariska Hargitay had described the lingering impact the crash had on her formative years.

"I clearly was in that frozen place for a lot of my childhood—of trying to survive, actually trying to survive. My life has been a process of unpeeling the layers and trust and trusting again," she shared.