'Law and Order' Star Mariska Hargitay Gives Rare Interview About Brutal Impact of Mom's Death: 'We Didn't Have the Tools to Understand Trauma'
Mariska Hargitay spoke about the loss of her mother.
Nov. 13 2024, Published 12:37 p.m. ET
Mariska Hargitay has reflected on the trauma of losing her mother at a very young age.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Law & Order: SVU star claimed everyone in her family dealt with the tragedy in their own way.
Mariska Hargitay was only 3 when her mother died.
During the recent Hope for Depression Research Foundation's 18th Annual HOPE Luncheon Seminar in NYC, Hargitay, 60, recalled how her mother, iconic movie star Jayne Mansfield, died when she was only 3 years old.
Mansfield tragically passed away in a car crash in 1967 at the age of 34, with Hargitay and her siblings present in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
She explained: "There was so much grief, there wasn't room to prioritize anyone. We didn't have the tools that we have now to metabolize and understand trauma."
Jayne Mansfield had four children before she tragically died in a car accident.
The luncheon focused on trauma and recovery, which the Law & Order actress addressed at length in her speech. She claimed she didn't develop the tools to address her past traumas until "much later in life".
Hargitay told the crowd: "I also suffered sexual trauma in my 30s. It wasn't until much later that I found the language to acknowledge it for what it was."
She expressed her gratitude towards the therapists who supported her in exploring different healing modalities, stating: "These modalities give me my life back."
Mariska Hargitay is best known for her role in 'Law and Order: SVU'.
Hargitay reiterated her commitment to supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse through the Joyful Heart Foundation.
She emphasized the importance of responding to those who have experienced trauma, underscoring the profound impact of offering support and assistance.
In her closing remarks, she delivered a message of hope to individuals facing challenges, stating: "There is hope."
Mariska Hargitay spoke at the Depression Research Foundation's 18th Annual HOPE Luncheon Seminar in NYC.
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In 2018, Hargitay revealed how she manages to "live with loss".
During an interview with People, she said: "The way I've lived with loss is to lean into it.
"As the saying goes, the only way out is through. In my life, certainly I've tried to avoid pain, loss, feeling things. But I've learned instead to really lean into it, because sooner or later you have to pay the piper."
Hargitay said her experience with grief "hasn't been easy" but revealed how "on the other side, things can be so bright".
Mansfield's daughter described her mother as an "amazing, beautiful, glamorous sex symbol".
"She was just so ahead of her time. She was an inspiration, she had this appetite for life, and I think I share that with her."
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