Mariska Hargitay, long term star of Law and Order Special Victims Unit has explored her family history through a documentary to honour her mother Jayne Mansfield – a Playboy Playmate, and sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s, who was killed in a car crash aged 34.
Mariska was in the car when her mother died and was subsequently brought up by Mickey Hargitay, a former Mr Universe bodybuilder, her mother’s almost divorced second husband, but not as subsequently emerged years later her biological father. She also admitted recently she was raped in her thirties.
Her mother was known for her numerous publicity stunts and open personal life. Her film career was short-lived, but she had several box-office successes and won a Theatre World Award and Golden Globe Award gaining the nickname of Hollywood’s “smartest dumb blonde”. Her highly active and tangled love life included it is said the two Kennedy brothers and when she died a film critic wrote: “her personal life out-rivaled any of the roles she played”. Her wiki entry is an eye opener.
Her dark haired daughter has not followed in her mother’s footsteps, sticking to low key roles until she landed in Law & Order where she has stayed for 25 years. She did not marry until she was 40, has one biological child and two adopted children.
Mariska was born 23 January 1964 5.58 am Santa Monica, California, and has a determined first house Sun Mars in Aquarius with a 4th house Taurus Moon opposition creative Neptune in her career 10th square Saturn in Aquarius. A 4th house Taurus Moon will make her keen on domestic security and interested in her roots which would make the upheavals and oddities of her life tricky to handle. Moon square Saturn gives a distance from mother and Neptune hints at confusion.
She also has a yod of Mars sextile Jupiter in Aries inconjunct Uranus Pluto in Virgo in her 8th which would make for a drama-filled life with many mysteries and odd coincidences. Her Venus in Pisces opposing her Uranus Pluto is the reaction planet and especially sensitive.
Jayne Mansfield, 19 April 1933 9.11am Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, had a high-vitality, unpredictable and rebellious Uranus, Venus, Sun in Aries in her career 10th square Pluto; with an Aquarius Moon opposition Mars in Virgo in her 3rd – excitable, argumentative, lived in the fast lane. She had the 1933 Mars, Neptune, Jupiter in Virgo which produced quite a few acting luminaries from that year including Joan Collins.
Her Chiron was conjunct Algol with both square her Moon which seems significant. When she died transiting Chiron was on the focal point of a yod inconjunct her Sun sextile Moon.
Mariska’s relationship chart with her mother has a super-tough and angry composite Saturn Mercury opposition Pluto square Mars. The difficulties will be related to her mother’s death in part but also perhaps hints at what would have been a stressed relationship had her mother lived – and continued her chaotic lifestyle.
Thank you, Marjorie. I find it interesting that the film comes out, bringing Jayne newfound attention, when both Saturn and Neptune are in her 10th House. Her mother’s NN on the PI/VI axis, which is active right now, is conjunct Mariska’s 2nd House Pisces Venus. Higher love, also bringing miney. I adore Mariska but her lineage DID give her a running start on her career. It got her foot in the door. Of course, her abilities kept her there.
Not long ago, I read an interview with Mariska Hargitay in which she spoke about her deep love for her father, Mickey Hargitay (6 January 1926 12:10 Budapest), and the unwavering support she received from him. Mickey and Jayne gave all their children Hungarian names, Mariska, is a Hungarian derivative of Maria, symbolically making her part of the “pack.”
Astrologically, it’s interesting to note that Mariska’s Ascendant is tightly conjunct Mickey’s Sun, while Mickey’s Jupiter is conjunct Mariska’s Sun. This suggests a strong connection, even if not strictly in terms of bloodline. I had expected their composite chart to be rich with yods, but to my untrained eye, it appears surprisingly uneventful, featuring only a loose Jupiter-Venus conjunction, a Sun-Moon opposition, and a somewhat murky Neptune in the 7th house.
Mickey H’s date of birth appears to be in question acc to ADB so that might be why it does not show up much.
Thank-you for this post, Marjorie.
I’ve been following Mariska’s current story re: the documentary, which has led me to dig deeper into her life story. I’ve only seen her in older Law & Order tv shows off and on, yet have always had an instant deep admiration for her. She just has the “look” of someone who knows the deeper parts of herself.
Her natal astrology chart and her experience of rape in her 30’s certainly explains her long run in SVU… like an important mission for her. I read a recent quote where she said she was “still not finished with Olivia yet” and would continue with SVU.
She’s a special one, I think.