Latest news with #familysecret
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mariska Hargitay shares how she made peace with biological dad Nelson Sardelli after paternity bombshell
Mariska Hargitay revealed she recently had a sweet conversation with her biological father Nelson Sardelli. In her acclaimed documentary My Mom Jayne, the 61-year-old actress revealed the decades-old family secret that the man who raised her, Mickey Hargitay, was not her real dad. During a documentary screening at HamptonsFilm's SummerDocs on Thursday, she hosted a Q&A session in which she detailed a special Father's Day exchange she had with Sardelli, 90. She described the experience as 'magical,' telling the audience, 'He apologized and he said, "Thank you for forgiving me." And I said, "Thank you for making the choice that you made."' Mariska spoke candidly about coming to terms with her family's secret about who her biological father is. According to an account from Just Jared, she reflected, 'I spent my life feeling unworthy, not wanted, not claimed, not good enough, abandoned. 'And then I realized, "Oh, no, sweetie, you were chosen six ways from Sunday."' In the riveting documentary, Sardelli explained that he believed leaving Mariska to be raised by Hungarian bodybuilder Mickey was in her best interest. As an adult, Mariska has made peace with her family dynamic. Her siblings include sisters Tina Hargitay, 76, Jayne Marie Mansfield, 74, Mickey Hargitay Jr., 66, Zoltan Hargitay, 64, and Tony Cimber, 59. After his final split from Mansfield, Hargitay married Ellen Siano in 1967. 'Now I feel like I have two mothers, I have two fathers,' Mariska said at the screening. 'I think the reason I made this movie now is because I was ready to make it now,' the Law & Order: SVU star told Stephen Colbert of her decision to produce the documentary 58 years after her mom's tragic death. Appearing on the now-cancelled late night show in June, she said, 'In a way I feel like I've been preparing my entire life to make it.' In June Hargitay paid tribute to her late mother, who died in a car accident in 1967, by wearing a similar look worn by the movie star at the Cannes Film Festival in 1958. In her acclaimed documentary My Mom Jayne, the 61-year-old actress revealed the decades-old family secret that the man who raised her, Mickey Hargitay, was not her real dad She went on to say that she discovered boxes of fan letters pertaining to her mom during the covid-19 pandemic. 'I had the time to sit with each letter and people had sent me things that were truly a gift,' Hargitay said of finding the trove of personal stories and playbills. 'So, I said, "I think I wanna dig in here,"' she added about feeling inspired to create the film. Mariska had previously spoken about her mom during her own appearance at the Cannes Film Festival this year, telling Deadline: 'The photos of her, in Cannes in particular, were always so meaningful to me because of how free and happy and in love she was with my father.' She said the striking black and white images 'seared this emotional place' in her mind.
BBC News
13-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
'I found my brother in Australia, just in time to make memories'
Six years ago, Jess Basey-Fisher was holding her mother's ashes when her father, Nicholas, said he needed to tell her revealed that his wife, Jess's mother, Ann, had kept a secret until the day she died. She had given birth before she met him and put the baby boy up for adoption."From the moment I found out, I was determined to find my older brother," says the 53-year-old nurse, who lives in Carleton St Peter in Norfolk. Jess did not have many facts to go on. She knew that the father was someone who Ann had met at a ball at a US airbase in Sculthorpe in who went on to work as a nurse and a midwife, was sent away to London to give that information, Jess managed to track down her brother's birth record from September 1962 on the Ancestry website, after searching for a 15-year period."I knew the surname, and I just had a hunch that she would have called him something like James, and it turned out to be correct," Jess father, Nicholas, a GP, was very supportive of the search but died on a cycling holiday a few months after revealing his wife's secret. 'An incredible moment' Jess contacted a social worker who managed to find James on Facebook in 2021. He had been renamed Alistair Dalgliesh, though the social worker could not tell Jess due to data social worker sent him a message, and he replied with his email address, but there was no further correspondence, and Jess presumed he did not want to be found."I was very anxious because I didn't even know whether he was aware he had been adopted," Jess October, Jess decided to try and contact her brother again, through social workers, and a conversation started."That was an incredible moment for me," Jess says. "And I found out my brother lives in Australia."In an astonishing coincidence, Alistair's adoptive mother, Marjorie, was a nurse and his father, Ken, was a GP - mirroring Jess's had a daughter but were struggling to have another child when they adopted Alistair. They went on to have another biological son, and the family then moved from Kent to Australia when Alistair was three, under the Ten Pound Poms scheme. The siblings arranged to speak on FaceTime and had a conversation for two hours, in which they laughed about how similar they recognised her brother's mannerisms as being very similar to their mother, and told him they shared a passion for music and 62, did not actively search for his birth family but often thought about them over the years."I was really happy to be found," he says, speaking from his home in Queensland. "I had such a great upbringing with amazing parents, and I feel very lucky." Fortunately, Alistair knew from the age of ten that he was adopted, but Jess was worried about telling him that their mother had took the news well, but wishes he could have reassured his biological mother before she died that he had a great life."My only regret is that I didn't get to tell her. All I wanted to do was say, 'It's ok. Don't worry about me," he says. Jess was able to share with her brother that her parents got married on his birth date, six years after he was says the information sent a shiver down his spine."That made me realise that I still meant a lot to her," he says. A month after the siblings first spoke, Alistair called his sister with some news. He had been diagnosed with stage four lung decided to visit him to help him through chemotherapy and arrived in Australia in April to spend five weeks with adoptive mother Marjorie was particularly pleased to meet her. "I just wanted to support him. It was a magical time. He is the most loving person - he gave me a kiss and a hug every morning and night, and the whole family embraced me," Jess says. Alistair is coming to stay with Jess in Norfolk in October, when he will meet his wider says she wishes her mother could have shared her secret before she died."I feel devastated for her and I feel cheated out of knowing Alistair for longer. But we are going to make the most of the time we have left," she says.
The Sun
12-07-2025
- The Sun
I had sex with my aunt on her sofa after impromptu skinny dip session – should I come clean to my wife?
1 DEAR DEIDRE: MY aunt seduced me when I was 18 and apart from my best friend no one else knows. We spent a whole summer entangled in her bed. Even though I'd already lost my virginity to a girl from my school, being with her was my real sexual awakening. She is my dad's younger sister and I'd gone to live with her as I'd got a temporary job in her city. We were left to our own devices and we made the most of our freedom. She is seven years older than me and one of the sexiest women I've ever met. One day, it was so hot and sticky we went down to a local swimming spot. We stripped off and I noticed her checking me out. That afternoon when we got home, she pounced on me asking to see my chest again. Within minutes we were having sex on her sofa. I've kept those memories of skinny dipping in the river and having sex anywhere and everywhere all to myself but now I wonder if I should come clean to my wife to be. I don't want to have any secrets from her and somehow it seems like I'm lying by keeping this from her - especially as my aunt will be at the wedding and I know my wife-to-be and she will meet. I'm 29 now and my fiancée is 27. We have a great relationship and I've never had any doubts about her but I'm worried this could come between us. We have spoken about our pasts and I admitted I'd had a crazy summer with a woman a little bit older, but I lied and said I'd met her through my job. So she knows part of the truth. After my job finished and I moved back home, my aunt and I agreed that would be the end of our affair. We didn't even stay in touch, only catching up at family gatherings. She is still as stunning as ever. She now has two young daughters and a long term boyfriend and I'd never want to jeopardise that. This isn't easy. What should I do? DEIDRE SAYS: This was no idyllic love affair and while it doesn't seem to have occurred to you, having a sexual relationship with your aunt, someone you are related to counts as incest. I must let you know that incest is a criminal offence. You were 18 at the time of this relationship barely an adult and your aunt had a lot more life experience than you. I'm afraid to say she took advantage of your inexperience and her behaviour could even be considered grooming. You have a difficult decision to make. If you tell your wife, it could taint your wedding day and open a whole can of worms. On the other hand your wife might feel more upset were she to find out from someone else further down the road, although this seems very unlikely as you've only ever told your best friend and your aunt has too much to lose to share the truth. You have a lot to work through and it would really help you if you were to see a counsellor, someone who could help you decide what are your next best steps. Dear Deidre's Incest Issues Deidre's mailbag is bursting with incest and relationship problems. One reader struggled to navigate her feelings for her long-lost cousin, while another found himself aroused after seeing sexy videos of his half-sister. And one man discovered his brother's sexual fling with their half-sister. Ask me and my counsellors anything Every problem get a personal and private reply from one of my trained counsellors within one working day. Sally Land is the Dear Deidre Agony Aunt. She achieved a distinction in the Certificate in Humanistic Integrative Counselling, has specialised in relationships and parenting. She has over 20 years of writing and editing women's issues and general features. Passionate about helping people find a way through their challenges, Sally is also a trustee for the charity Family Lives. Her team helps up to 90 people every week. Sally took over as The Sun's Agony Aunt when Deidre Sanders retired from the The Dear Deidre column four years ago. The Dear Deidre Team Of Therapists Also Includes: Kate Taylor: a sex and dating writer who is also training to be a counsellor. Kate is an advisor for dating website OurTime and is the author of five self-help books. Jane Allton: a stalwart of the Dear Deidre for over 20 years. Jane is a trained therapist, who specialises in family issues. She has completed the Basic Counselling Skills Level 1, 2, and 3. She also achieved the Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPCAB) Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Studies. Catherine Thomas: with over two decades worth of experience Catherine has also trained as a therapist, with the same credentials as Jane. She specialises in consumer and relationship issues. Fill out and submit our easy-to-use and confidential form and the Dear Deidre team will get back to you. You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page or email us at: deardeidre@
The Sun
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Emotional Long Lost Family foundling left stunned by shocking family secret
AN emotional foundling on Long Lost Family was stunned after learning a shocking family secret. A foundling is a child whom is abandoned at birth with no obvious trace or connection to a set of birth parents. 5 5 5 Lisa Dyke, 55, was left in another baby's pram in Christchurch, Hampshire. Although raised by loving adoptive parents, she had lingering questions about her origins. However, Lisa was left stunned by what was ultimately revealed to her. Lisa's parents had three other children - all full siblings to her. In fact, she is the third-born child - and the only one to be left. Lisa has an older brother and sister, Tim and Jen, as well as younger sister Lynn. She told host Davina McCall: "I'm trying to process it. Unfortunately, both of Lisa's birth parents had already passed away. Taking to X, one viewer penned: "Goodness, how does anybody try and process that, I've no idea." Another wrote: "It must be so hard to find out that after you were left another baby came along." A third shared: "Lisa's story has broken me. I am a dry husk after all the tears." While a fourth remarked: "Wow thats such a big revelation for bith Lisa and her siblings." It's not the first time the ITV show has featured heartbreaking stories. A previous Born Without Trace instalment followed the story of Thomas Yeo. Three newborns abadoned by same parents 'Baby Elsa', named after the protagonist in Frozen, was found in sub-zero temperatures in Newham, east London. She was believed to be less than an hour old when she was discovered by a dog walker, wrapped in a towel inside a reusable shopping bag with her umbilical cord still attached. The Metropolitan Police suspect Elsa was born after a 'concealed pregnancy' - where a woman does not tell health professionals she is expecting. DNA tests have since revealed Elsa has two siblings - a brother and a sister, who were abandoned in 2017 and 2019 respectively, within miles of where she was found. The other babies, Harry and Roman, were discovered wrapped in blankets. They have both been adopted. The parents of the three children are yet to be identified At East London Family Court last week, Judge Carol Atkinson ruled the biological link between 'Elsa' and the other two children could be reported. It was deemed of "great public interest" due to babies rarely being abandoned in modern Britain. The trio are among five cases of children being abandoned at birth within the last four years in England and Wales. In 2020, a baby was discovered in Hackney, east London, and another was found in Birmingham in 2021. Both of their mothers were tracked down several months later. Having submitted his DNA to a database, the team found a first cousin, Martina, in Ireland. But in a shock twist, it transpired that Martina, like Thomas, was also a foundling. The two cousins met but ultimately continued their searches separately. 5 5
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mariska Hargitay Reveals the Shocking Family Secret She's Kept for Over 30 Years
In a stunning revelation that has sent ripples through Hollywood and beyond, actress Mariska Hargitay has shared a deeply personal family secret she has held for over three decades. The star, 61, chose the prestigious Cannes Film Festival premiere of her directorial debut, My Mom Jayne, on May 17 as the moment to publicly disclose that the man who raised her, Mickey Hargitay, was not her biological father. Her biological father, Hargitay revealed, is Nelson Sardelli, a former Las Vegas entertainer with whom her mother, the iconic Jayne Mansfield, had a relationship. This disclosure reframes a significant part of the narrative of one of Hollywood's most enduring and respected explained that she first learned of her true paternity at the age of 25. The news was a shock, prompting a confrontation with Mickey Hargitay. However, Mickey, the Hungarian-born former Mr. Universe who was married to Mansfield and lovingly raised Mariska and her brothers, insisted he was her father. Out of respect and love, the topic was never broached again between them. The weight of this secret, however, remained. At age 30, Mariska sought out and met Nelson Sardelli. In interviews accompanying the documentary's premiere, she recalled Sardelli's emotional reaction, telling her, "I've been waiting 30 years for this moment." Hargitay admitted her own initial response was guarded, fiercely loyal to Mickey, the man she unequivocally considers her dad. "This documentary is kind of a love letter to him," Hargitay told Vanity Fair, emphasizing that Mickey Hargitay, who passed away in 2006, remains the father figure who shaped her life. "I'm Mickey Hargitay's daughter — that is not a lie." The documentary, My Mom Jayne, is an exploration of her famous mother's life and legacy, who tragically died in a car accident when Mariska was just three years old. The film now also serves as the vessel for Mariska's own truth, featuring interviews with Nelson Sardelli and her newly revealed half-sisters from her biological father's side. For years, Hargitay grappled with questions of identity, wondering if her roots were Hungarian, like Mickey's, or Italian, like Sardelli's. The decision to finally share this long-held secret, she explained, was about unburdening herself and her family. "I'm not good with lies," she confessed, highlighting the emotional toll of keeping such a significant part of her story private. The revelation has been met with an outpouring of support for Hargitay, who has built a career not only on her acclaimed portrayal of Olivia Benson but also on her advocacy for victims of abuse through her Joyful Heart Foundation. My Mom Jayne is slated for the Tribeca Film Festival and is expected to stream on HBO Max.
