The Two Documentaries That Define Mariska Hargitay’s Legacy: From Hollywood Icon's Daughter To Advocacy Producer

Mariska Hargitay, the beloved star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, has quietly cemented a powerful legacy beyond her iconic role as Detective Olivia Benson, one that is deeply intertwined with documentary filmmaking and profound personal advocacy. As of December 2025, the latest and most talked-about project is her deeply personal directorial debut, My Mom Jayne, an HBO documentary that finally gives her a voice in reclaiming the complex narrative of her late mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield. This new film, which has garnered significant festival buzz, offers a raw, emotional journey into a life tragically cut short, a stark contrast to her previous, equally impactful work as a producer.

The conversation around Mariska Hargitay’s documentary career is now defined by two powerful, yet vastly different, films: the cathartic family portrait of My Mom Jayne and the seismic social justice film I Am Evidence. Both projects reveal the actress's commitment to shedding light on stories of vulnerability, trauma, and resilience, whether they are her own family's buried secrets or the systemic failures facing sexual assault survivors across the United States. Her work as a producer and director showcases a fierce dedication to truth-telling, using the documentary format as a vehicle for both personal healing and national change.

Mariska Hargitay: A Brief Biography and Profile

Mariska Magdolna Hargitay is an American actress, producer, and director known globally for her long-running role as Detective/Captain Olivia Benson on the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU). Her career has spanned over four decades, but her most recent work behind the camera has brought a new dimension to her public profile.

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• Full Name: Mariska Magdolna Hargitay
• Date of Birth: January 23, 1964
• Place of Birth: Santa Monica, California, U.S.
• Parents: Jayne Mansfield (mother, actress and model) and Mickey Hargitay (father, Mr. Universe and actor). Mariska was only three years old when her mother tragically died in a car accident.
• Spouse: Peter Hermann (married 2004), an actor known for his role as attorney Trevor Langan on SVU.
• Children: August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, and adopted children Amaya Josephine and Andrew Nicolas Hargitay Hermann.
• Notable Career Achievements: She holds the record for the longest-running female character in a primetime live-action television series. Her performance on SVU has earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.
• Advocacy Work: Founder and President of the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.

The New Documentary: Unveiling the Truth in ‘My Mom Jayne’

The most significant and recent addition to Mariska Hargitay's filmography is the HBO documentary My Mom Jayne, which she directed. This project marks her feature-film directorial debut and is a profoundly emotional excavation of her mother’s life and legacy.

Jayne Mansfield was a major Hollywood sex symbol and pop culture icon of the 1950s and 60s, a figure whose public persona often overshadowed her private life as a mother of five.

A Daughter’s Quest for Reclaiming a Legacy

The documentary is a personal journey for Hargitay, who was only three when her mother died in a tragic car accident.

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For decades, Hargitay has had to contend with the often-sensationalized public narrative of her mother.

My Mom Jayne serves as a cathartic, deep dive into Mansfield’s career, inner turmoil, relationships, and, most importantly, her role as a mother, piecing together fragments of memory and truth.

Hargitay has stated that the process of directing the film allowed her to see her mother "like a woman" for the first time, not just as a myth or a tabloid figure.

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The film had its world premiere in the Cannes Classics section and has been a frontrunner in documentary feature discussions, highlighting the universal message of grappling with a family secret and a complex parental legacy.

By stepping behind the camera, Hargitay took control of the narrative, using archival footage, family photos, and interviews to present a nuanced portrait of a woman whose life was tragically cut short.

The Advocacy Powerhouse: Mariska Hargitay’s ‘I Am Evidence’

Before her directorial debut, Mariska Hargitay made her mark in the documentary world as a producer with the 2017 HBO film, I Am Evidence. This project is directly connected to her advocacy work and her role on SVU, exposing a devastating national crisis.

Exposing the Rape Kit Backlog Crisis

I Am Evidence investigates the staggering backlog of untested rape kits—thousands upon thousands—sitting in storage in police departments across the United States.

The documentary follows four survivors of sexual assault who courageously fought for their kits to be tested and highlights the systemic failures that allow this backlog to persist, effectively denying justice to victims.

Hargitay, through her Joyful Heart Foundation, has been a tireless champion for sexual assault survivors, making the production of this film a natural and vital extension of her mission.

The film, which won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, was a powerful call to action, leading to significant legislative changes and increased funding for testing in various states.

It is a stark piece of investigative journalism that highlights the reasons behind the failure to test these critical pieces of evidence, providing a voice to those often silenced by the criminal justice system.

Topical Authority: The Dual Legacy of a Filmmaker

Mariska Hargitay's journey through documentary filmmaking—from producing the groundbreaking advocacy film I Am Evidence to directing the deeply personal memoir My Mom Jayne—establishes a powerful topical authority in the space of social justice and personal history.

The two films, while different in subject matter, share a common thread: they both seek to restore dignity and truth to complex, often painful narratives.

• Entities and LSI Keywords: The films touch on critical entities like Jayne Mansfield’s tragic death, the Hollywood Golden Age, the Joyful Heart Foundation's mission, sexual assault survivors' rights, the rape kit backlog crisis, and Hargitay’s shift from actress to director and producer.
• The Olivia Benson Connection: Hargitay's work is inseparable from her SVU persona, Detective Olivia Benson, whose dedication to victims of sexual violence mirrors her real-life advocacy. This connection provides a massive platform for her documentary work.
• Personal vs. Political: I Am Evidence is a political and systemic critique, while My Mom Jayne is a personal and emotional reclamation. Together, they demonstrate Hargitay's range and commitment to using film as a tool for both introspection and societal reform.

Ultimately, Mariska Hargitay's documentary projects are not just side ventures; they are integral components of her enduring legacy. They showcase a woman determined to use her influence to confront difficult truths, honor her mother's memory, and fight for justice for the most vulnerable members of society.