Mariska Hargitay honours late mother Jayne Mansfield on her 93rd birthday

Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to her late mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield, on what would have been her 93rd birthday.

On Sunday, April 19, the Law & Order: SVU star shared a black-and-white throwback photo of her mother on Instagram, remembering her with a heartfelt message.

“Happy Heavenly Birthday mama Jayne,” Hargitay wrote alongside a series of pink heart emojis, reflecting on the legacy of the actress who died in 1967 at the age of 34.

Mansfield was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the 1950s and 1960s, known for her glamorous screen presence and film roles opposite Hungarian-born actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, whom she married in 1958. Together, they shared three children, including Mariska.

Mansfield tragically died in a car accident when Mariska was just three years old, a loss the actress has often described as deeply formative.

Speaking previously about her grief, Mariska said she learned to cope by embracing it rather than avoiding it. 

“The way I’ve lived with loss is to lean into it,” she told People in 2018. “There’s been a lot of darkness. But on the other side things can be so bright.”

The actress has also spoken about the connection she feels to her mother, noting that she often sees reflections of her in herself.

In recent years, Hargitay has worked to explore her mother’s legacy more deeply. Her documentary My Mom Jayne, released on Max in 2025, examines Mansfield’s life and the impact she left behind.

Describing the project, Hargitay called it “a labor of love and longing,” adding that it was both a personal journey and a way to reclaim her mother’s story.

Mansfield remains remembered as a defining Hollywood figure of her era, while Mariska continues to carry forward both her professional legacy and personal memory through her work and tributes.