Latest news with #biologicalfather
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Daily Mail
I pressured my mother to confess a scandalous family secret on her deathbed - now I'm worried I ruined her final moments
A woman has described their torment after pressuring their mother to confess a family secret while on her deathbed. Posting on the thread r/AmITheA**hole, the user, believed to be based in the US, revealed how they found out at a young age that her baby brother's biological father was not the man who had brought him up. Allen, the poster's younger brother whose name has been changed for privacy, lived the majority of his life believing that George, the man who raised him from a baby, was his biological father - even after he had died. In 2023, Allen and his wife began discussing the fact that he didn't look much like George, and even began to wonder if he was his real father. The Reddit user recalled their distress when they realised their mother 'didn't have much time left' but was the 'only one who had the answer'. As I result, they 'pressured her, got loud with her' and finally got her to admit the truth to Allen, giving enough information for them to eventually track down his real father. However, the Reddit user revealed they felt guilty for forcing out the information, writing: 'AITA for pressing my mom in her final weeks? I felt like it caused Allen to be stand offish and he rarely came by to check on her after that.' They added: 'The reason I think I might be the a**hole is one for pressing her while she's on her deathbed and causing her discomfort but also the fact that my brother kind of abandoned her at that point and yelling came to visit her one time after that and at that point she was incoherent basically in a coma and I feel like maybe I robbed her of her final moments with her family.' But taking to the comments, most agreed that they'd done the right thing - and felt sorry for Allen, having been kept in the dark for so long. One commenter wrote: 'Why on earth was she still lying about it? Did the guy turn out to be scary or something?' The sister of Allen responded and confirmed that this was not the case at all. She wrote: 'No. He actually turned out to be a really good guy. Feel like she was embarrassed and wasn't really thinking about how it is going to affect him not knowing.' Other readers of the story questioned why the poster's mother and aunty were discussing the topic so openly at the dinner table when she was present as a child. One person wrote: 'What kind of sick family discusses this at the dining table in front of the other kids? Either they thought it was no biggie or they did it on purpose so someone would overhear and they wouldn't be to blame that it all came out. Either way, they suck and I'm sorry for the original poster and their brother.' Many people supported the poster's decision to pressure their mother into telling the truth. Another person wrote: 'You not only helped Allen find his bio-dad but also helped preserve a modicum of decency for your mother right before her death, even though she doesn't have much decency to begin with.' A second said: 'Your brother should have been told a LONG time ago. He had every right to know who his birth father was so he could decide whether to have a relationship then or not. It was wrong for your mother to keep that from him. You did the right thing.' Posting on the thread r/AmITheA**hole , they revealed how they found out at a young age that her baby brother's biological father was not the man who had brought him up Others were not as supportive of the decision and argued that the daughter had 'ruined' her brother's final chance to make 'fond memories.' They wrote: 'The last time with your mom should have been where you could make some fond memories or have nice talks together. You ruined that for your brother, so congratulations.' Explaining how the poster came to to learn the information, they wrote: 'When I was young I discovered the secret while at the dining table when my aunt and grandmother were having a conversation. 'My aunt spilled the beans that my stepdad was not my youngest brother's real father.' However, some time after the initial reveal worlds nearly collided, the poster wrote: 'Years later me and my mother were out having a few drinks just enjoying each other's company and she said oh my God that's Allen's real dad. 'We didn't speak to him and I wasn't exactly sure which guy she was talking about.' Despite George taking the secret to his grave Allen had discussed with his wife how he felt that he 'looked nothing like' who he thought his father was and had question if he was 'his real dad.' When Allen opened up to his older sister about how he was feeling she 'told him he'd have to talk to Mom,' and that she did not know much about the situation. However, timing was not on the daughter's side as their mother 'didn't have much time left but was the only one that had the answer.' The poster admitted that due to their mother's ill health she 'felt bad springing it' on her but thought that her brother deserved answers. She wrote: 'Everybody else who was privy to it was dead by this point and my brother wanted to find who is real dad was so he can know his family history, family medical history, if he has other siblings out there you know that kind of stuff.' However, when the siblings approached the topic with their mother she 'tried to deny it,' triggering the daughter to get 'loud with her.' Recalling the altercation and her own behaviour in particular she wrote: 'I'm not proud of it.' Although it was a challenge the truth finally came out. The daughter wrote: 'But she finally admitted to Allen, and what little information she could remember, or was willing to release, was just enough that with a little searching we were able to find him.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mariska Hargitay Reveals Shocking Family Secret She's Kept for More Than 30 Years in New Documentary
Mariska Hargitay revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her Her biological father is a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli Mariska opened up about the revelation in an interview with Vanity Fair, recounting the moment she first met and introduced herself to Sardelli, who is still alive and in his eightiesMariska Hargitay is opening up about a family secret she's kept for more than 30 years. At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 13, the Law & Order: SVU actress, 61, revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but rather a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli. As Mariska explains in the documentary — which marks her feature film directorial debut — she first learned of Sardelli when she was 25. She confronted Mariska, the only father she'd ever known, with the news, and after he insisted he was her father, the two never spoke of it again. But it left Mariska with many questions, wondering if she was Hungarian like her father and her brothers, Zoltan and Mickey Jr., or if she was really Italian like Sardelli. The actress opened up further about the revelation about her father in an interview with Vanity Fair. She told the outlet that she went to see Sardelli perform in Atlantic City, N.J., when she was 30 years old, and described his emotional reaction when she introduced herself. Moved to tears, he said, 'I've been waiting 30 years for this moment.' But Mariska said she found herself giving him a tough time and going "full Olivia Benson on him," referring to her SVU character. 'I was like, 'I don't want anything, I don't need anything from you.… I have a dad, ' ' she recalled telling him, explaining, 'There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey.' She told Vanity Fair that after the momentous meeting with Sardelli, she grappled with "knowing I'm living a lie my entire life." Sardelli, who is still alive and now in his late eighties, participates in the documentary, as do his other two daughters — Mariska's half sisters. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In the film, Mariska explains that, at 61 years old, keeping this a secret was no longer necessary. Mariska also has an older sister, Jayne Marie Mansfield, from her mother's first marriage, as well as a younger brother, Tony Cimber, from her mother's third marriage, both of whom are also featured in My Mom Jayne. The actress told Vanity Fair that once she eventually built a bond with Sardelli and his daughters, she better understood that her mother returned to Mickey because she knew he would love and provide a stable home life for Mariska. 'I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,' she said. 'I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie.' 'This documentary is kind of a love letter to him, because there's no one that I was closer to on this planet," she noted. Mariska told Vanity Fair that she and her Sardelli sisters gathered together for a private screening of the documentary in Las Vegas, and recalled how they were overcome with emotion. 'They just wept and wept and wept,' she said. 'These two women that I love so much — I made them secrets! It's so heartbreaking to me.' For Mariska, sharing her story with the world in the documentary was a way to "unburden all of us.' Following the film's premiere screening at Cannes on Saturday, the audience gave a five-minute standing ovation. Mariska was joined at the event by her husband, Peter Hermann, and three kids. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mariska Hargitay Reveals Identity of Her Biological Father, Says She Was 'Living a Lie My Entire Life'
Mariska Hargitay has revealed a long-held family secret: the truth about her biological father. The actress, whose mother was Jayne Mansfield, had believed for years that her father was Mickey Hargitay, the Hungarian bodybuilding champion who became an actor. He married Mansfield in 1956. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Law & Order' and 'SVU' Renewed at NBC 'Law & Order: Organized Crime' Teases a Stabler-Benson Reunion Mariska Hargitay Directing HBO Documentary About Her Mother, Jayne Mansfield When Mariska was only 3, she and her mother were involved in a tragic car accident that killed Mansfield instantly. Mickey raised their three children after Mansfield died. 'He was my everything, my idol. He loved me so much, and I knew it,' she told Vanity Fair. 'I also knew something else — I just didn't know what I knew.' In fact, she didn't know the truth until she was in her 20s. During a brief time in 1963-64, Mansfield filed for divorce from Mickey and began dating Italian entertainer Nelson Sardelli. However, Mickey and Mansfield reconciled months before Mariska's birth. Mariska had always believed something felt different between her and her siblings (Jayne Marie, Zoltan and Mickey Jr.), and when she was in her 20s, she saw a photo of Sardelli that confirmed her feelings. She says she knew right away that he was her biological father. When she asked Mickey, he denied it, and they never spoke of it again. When she was 30, Mariska traveled to Atlantic City to see Sardelli perform. After she introduced herself, she said, he became emotional and told her, 'I've been waiting 30 years for this moment.' 'I went full Olivia Benson on him,' she said of her reaction. 'I was like, 'I don't want anything, I don't need anything from you. … I have a dad.' There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey.' (Mickey died in 2006.) She added that she struggled with 'knowing I'm living a lie my entire life.' Mariska ultimately became close with Sardelli and his daughters. She also realized that her mom went back to Mickey because she felt that being with him would be better for her daughter. 'I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,' she said. 'I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie.' The Law & Order: SVU star also opens up about this revelation in her new documentary My Mom Jayne, which premiered Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival and debuts June 27 on HBO/HBO Max. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise 'Yellowstone' and the Sprawling Dutton Family Tree, Explained
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nelson Sardelli Was Mariska Hargitay's Real Dad, She Reveals
Actress Mariska Hargitay released a family secret bombshell in a new interview. For years, it was publicly believed that Hargitay's father was Mickey Hargitay, described by Vanity Fair as "a Hungarian bodybuilding champion turned actor who married Mansfield in 1956." Her mother, of course, was the Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield. According to Vanity Fair, Mansfield had a "well-publicized romance with an Italian entertainer named Nelson Sardelli," but then got back together with Mickey Hargitay before Mariska Hargitay was born. When she saw a photo of Sardelli in her 20s, Hargitay "immediately knew in her bones that he was her biological father," Vanity Fair reported. 'It was like the floor fell out from underneath me,' she said, according to Vanity Fair. 'Like my infrastructure dissolved.' Mickey Hargitay denied it at first, Vanity Fair reported. At age 30, Mariska met Sardelli after watching him perform, thinking, 'I've been waiting 30 years for this moment.' She says she told him, "I don't want anything, I don't need anything from you.… I have a dad." However, she "gradually forged a bond with Sardelli and his daughters," Vanity Fair reported. According to Norm Vegas, Sardelli has been in the U.S. since 1965, "arriving almost a decade after immigrating from Brazil. His Italian parents moved there in the early 1920s, looking for a better life." He forged a career acting, doing stand-up comedy, and singing, the blog says. 'I came to the United States in 1956, to Pontiac, Michigan, because in Brazil I worked for General Motors, but they were laying off people all over Michigan,' he said to the blog. Sardelli is still alive and participated in the documentary, People reported. Hargitay came to realize that being raised by Mickey was best for her, and the documentary reflects this, Vanity Fair reported. '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. This documentary is kind of a love letter to him, because there's no one that I was closer to on this planet." Mariska Hargitay also opened up about the crash that killed her mom, Jayne Mansfield, while Hargitay was in the car. 'I don't remember the accident. I don't even remember being told that my mother had died,' Hargitay told Vanity Fair. The magazine explained that Hargitay harbored a "dark secret about her paternity that she'd been guarding for decades." She is now directing an upcoming documentary about her mom called My Mom Jayne. Hargitay remained close to Mickey Hargitay. 'He was my everything, my idol. He loved me so much, and I knew it,' she told Vanity Fair. 'I also knew something else—I just didn't know what I knew.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mariska Hargitay Reveals Shocking Family Secret She's Kept for More Than 30 Years in New Documentary
Mariska Hargitay revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her Her biological father is a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli Mariska opened up about the revelation in an interview with Vanity Fair, recounting the moment she first met and introduced herself to Sardelli, who is still alive and in his eightiesMariska Hargitay is opening up about a family secret she's kept for more than 30 years. At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 13, the Law & Order: SVU actress, 61, revealed with the premiere of her documentary My Mom Jayne that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but rather a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli. As Mariska explains in the documentary — which marks her feature film directorial debut — she first learned of Sardelli when she was 25. She confronted Mariska, the only father she'd ever known, with the news, and after he insisted he was her father, the two never spoke of it again. But it left Mariska with many questions, wondering if she was Hungarian like her father and her brothers, Zoltan and Mickey Jr., or if she was really Italian like Sardelli. The actress opened up further about the revelation about her father in an interview with Vanity Fair. She told the outlet that she went to see Sardelli perform in Atlantic City, N.J., when she was 30 years old, and described his emotional reaction when she introduced herself. Moved to tears, he said, 'I've been waiting 30 years for this moment.' But Mariska said she found herself giving him a tough time and going "full Olivia Benson on him," referring to her SVU character. 'I was like, 'I don't want anything, I don't need anything from you.… I have a dad, ' ' she recalled telling him, explaining, 'There was something about loyalty. I wanted to be loyal to Mickey.' She told Vanity Fair that after the momentous meeting with Sardelli, she grappled with "knowing I'm living a lie my entire life." Sardelli, who is still alive and now in his late eighties, participates in the documentary, as do his other two daughters — Mariska's half sisters. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In the film, Mariska explains that, at 61 years old, keeping this a secret was no longer necessary. Mariska also has an older sister, Jayne Marie Mansfield, from her mother's first marriage, as well as a younger brother, Tony Cimber, from her mother's third marriage, both of whom are also featured in My Mom Jayne. The actress told Vanity Fair that once she eventually built a bond with Sardelli and his daughters, she better understood that her mother returned to Mickey because she knew he would love and provide a stable home life for Mariska. 'I grew up where I was supposed to, and I do know that everyone made the best choice for me,' she said. 'I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie.' 'This documentary is kind of a love letter to him, because there's no one that I was closer to on this planet," she noted. Mariska told Vanity Fair that she and her Sardelli sisters gathered together for a private screening of the documentary in Las Vegas, and recalled how they were overcome with emotion. 'They just wept and wept and wept,' she said. 'These two women that I love so much — I made them secrets! It's so heartbreaking to me.' For Mariska, sharing her story with the world in the documentary was a way to "unburden all of us.' Following the film's premiere screening at Cannes on Saturday, the audience gave a five-minute standing ovation. Mariska was joined at the event by her husband, Peter Hermann, and three kids. Read the original article on People
