Who Was Mariska Hargitay's Famous Father?

Hargitay's father, Mickey Hargitay, was a legendary bodybuilder (via The Things). While he was known for being Mr. Universe and having a long career as a professional bodybuilder, he was also a performer (per StyleCaster). Mansfield met Mickey while he was performing in the "Mae West Muscle Man Revue." The duo would go on to star in four movies together: "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?," "The Loves of Hercules," "Promises! Promises!," and "L'Amore Primitivo."

They would have three children together before their marriage ended in 1964. Mansfield would be killed in a tragic car accident in 1967 (per History). After Mansfield died, Hargitay and his new wife, Ellen, would become the caretakers of the three children he and Mansfield shared. Hargitay's stepmom stepped up as a mother figure, according to Amo Mama. "I called her Mom. She really claimed us. She never had biological kids of her own, and to this day, we are her kids. So, we were blessed that she really embraced us and loved us so quickly. And I was very fortunate to have a maternal figure in my life after such a horrific accident."

Hargitay continued to act even after his marriage with Mansfield ended, eventually starring alongside his daughter in an episode of "Law & Order: SVU" in which he played a grandfather. That would be the last role for the Hungarian-born actor and bodybuilder; he died in 2006 at 80 years old from cancer.