Law & Order: SVU Star Mariska Hargitay's Father Appeared In One Episode

Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) interviewed a familiar face at a crime scene in the 100th episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Her father, Mickey Hargitay, made a cameo on the network cop drama, playing a grandfather who is taken aside for questioning. Although the former bodybuilder and actor didn't have a big role in the series (much like other major movie stars that appeared on the show), it was a treat to have him star opposite his daughter during a milestone episode.

His guest appearance on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" also marked his final acting credit before dying from blood cancer in 2006. In Season 5, Episode 9, Mickey's character is seen escorting his granddaughter down the escalator of a subway station when they run into a wounded man pleading for help. The man dies before the authorities arrive at the scene, leaving the grandfather responsible for giving a statement to Detective Benson.

Mickey Hargitay worked alongside Hollywood legend Jayne Mansfield (Mariska Hargitay's mother) multiple times during the late '50s and '60s, both on stage and in films such as "The Love of Hercules" and "Primitive Love." Arnold Schwarzenegger even played Mickey in a made-for-TV movie about the highly publicized pair.

The couple married in January 1958, and Mariska was later born in 1964, the year that they filed for divorce. Following Mansfield's death in a fatal car crash, Mariska was raised by her father and his third wife, Ellen Siano. The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" alum credits him for being her greatest supporter.

"I was sort of raised with the motto of, 'We don't quit in this family,'" Hargitay told TODAY in January 2025. "'And if that's what you want to do, then you do it, and you work harder, and you click your heels together three times and say, "That's the best I can do," but we don't quit.'"

In May 2025, Mariska Hargitay revealed that Mickey Hargitay wasn't her biological father during her confessional documentary, "My Mom Jayne." The doc premiered at Cannes, and it explores Jayne Mansfield's legacy beyond the "blonde bombshell" persona she is known for.

Mariska also touched upon her biological father's identity in the film, revealing that she learned of the existence of former Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli when she was 25. Yet, the actor only uncovered that she was related to Sardelli after she went to see him perform at Atlantic City, N.J., five years later. His response to her visit was "I've been waiting 30 years for this moment."

Despite keeping the family secret to herself, Mariska concluded that there was no need to stay silent. While making her feature directorial debut, Mariska emphasized that Mickey's role in her upbringing was undeniable. "I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me," she told Vanity Fair. "I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie." 

20 years after sharing the screen with Mickey in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," the actor continues to play the longest-running character on US primetime TV. Mariska is returning for Season 28, set to premiere in October 2026.