Mariska Hargitay was welcomed into Hollywood royalty by prominent parents in the entertainment industry. They gave her several siblings, who walked in their iconic parents’ career footsteps by having stints in Hollywood.

At one point, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay were the Hollywood couple no one could stop talking about. As a couple, the pair welcomed three children, and their other trio were born from previous relationships. One of their shared children, Mariska Hargitay, went full into Hollywood.

Although she is the most famous of the Hargitay-Mansfield siblings, the others also have acting credits.

At UCLA, Mariska Hargitay majored in theater, and since the 1980s, she has used her qualifications to get television and film roles. 

Mariska Hargitay with husband Peter Hermann and their children during her Hollywood Walk of Fame induction on November 8, 2013 | Source: Getty ImagesHer first movie feature was in the cult classic “Ghoulies,” but she is best known for her recurring appearances on the shows “ER” and “Law & Order.” After being in the industry for fifteen years, Mariska Hargitay finally got her most significant break in her role on the “Law & Order” franchise.

She’s received Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her performance and was once named the highest-paid actress on television. Despite having a prominent career, the actress’ mother and father’s marriages have also interested fans.

Portrait of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay circa 1963 | Source: Getty Images

Jayne & Mickey’s Union and Their Other Marriages

When Jayne and Mickey first met, the latter was already famous after being 1956’s Mr. Universe and working as one of Mae West’s musclemen in her shows. Meanwhile, the actress was well on her way to stardom.

On the night of their first meeting at a show, Jayne requested two things: an introduction to Mickey and a six-dollar steak for her dog, and she got both! Mickey recalled performing on stage before noticing a girl drinking a milkshake in the crowd.

“I fell in love! And so did she,” he said. The pair met briefly when the show was done and exchanged phone numbers. Their busy schedules made meeting up hard, but that didn’t stop the media from noticing them on their rare joint appearances.

Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield poses at the Dorchester Hotel in London on September 25, 1957 | Source: Getty ImagesMae West, who at the time worked with Mickey, asked to call a press conference where she ordered him to discredit rumors of his relationship with Jayne.

However, her plan failed because he confessed to being in love with Jayne.By January 1958, the couple were married in Palos Verdes, California. Jayne’s career was at its peak at the time, starring in several hit films and having a Las Vegas residency while raising her children with Mickey.

In 1964, the couple divorced due to Hollywood’s pressures and demands straining their marriage. Amid their divorce, the actress accused Mariska’s father of “cruelty” but later confessed to having nothing but “respect and admiration” for him.

Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield posing together in an undated photograph | Source: Getty ImagesIn the end, they remained good friends and married other people. Jayne once mentioned that separating rather than continuing the marriage is best if two people don’t get along. Opening up about their divorce, she said:

“Our paths in life might be smoother separately.”

Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield at the WAIF BALL in Los Angeles on November 9, 1957 | Source: Getty ImagesJayne also thought it better for their children to have them separate and be harmonious.

The star was previously married to Paul Mansfield before Mickey, and together they had a daughter. She was only sixteen years old during their marriage and decided to keep her union and pregnancy a secret.After getting married, Jayne would be with Paul in an apartment they rented until she had to hurry home every night in time for her 11:00 p.m. curfew. Their union ended in divorce, but she decided to keep the Mansfield last name as she felt it was suitable for an actress.

Jayne Manfield in the publicity portrait for “Kiss Them For Me” circa 1957 | Source: Getty ImagesYears after her marriage to Mickey concluded, Jayne married Matt Cimber, a producer, director, and writer, whom she met on the set of “Bus Stop.” Together, they shared a son named Tony Cimber. Meanwhile, Mickey was first married to Mary Birge, with whom he shared a daughter named Tina.

By early 1956, they’d filed for divorce, a few years before he married Jayne. Ellen Siano was his third spouse, who stayed with him until he passed, and was the one his children called “mom,” a role she embraced wholeheartedly.