Mariska Hargitay Jokes Only ‘Younger People’ Didn’t Know Her Mom Was Jayne Mansfield

Mariska Hargitay Jokes Only 'Younger People' Didn't Know Her Mom Was Jayne Mansfield

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Mariska Hargitay joked that only "younger people" didn't know her mom was Jayne Mansfield during a Q&A following a special screening of her documentaryMy Mom Jayneon July 17 Mansfield, who died in 1967 at age 34, was a Hollywood icon who starred in films includingPromises! Promises!andToo Hot to Handle InMy Mom Jayne, which marked Mariska's feature film directorial debut, she examines her mother's life — and reveals a shocking family secret Mariska Hargitay's mother,Jayne Mansfield, may be a Hollywood icon — but her fan base runs a bit older. While taking part in a Q&A hosted by HamptonsFilm on Thursday, July 17, Mariska, 61, joked about how not everyone knew that Mansfield was her mom when her revealing documentary,My Mom Jayne, premiered earlier this year. After panel host Molly Jong-Fast noted that "a lot of people had no idea that [Mansfield] was your mom" despite the fact that she's "really, really famous," Mariska replied, "Only younger people don't know. The kids don't know." The discussion followed a special screening ofMy Mom Jayneat Guild Hall in East Hampton. The documentary, which marked Mariska's feature film directorial debut, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17 ahead of its debut on HBO and Max on June 27. In apress releaseannouncing the documentary, Mariska said, "This movie is a labor of love and longing. It's a search for the mother I never knew, an integration of a part of myself I'd never owned, and a reclaiming of my mother's story and my own truth." Archive Photos/Getty Mansfield — who rose to fame as aPlayboymodel and an actress, known for such films asToo Hot to HandleandPromises! Promises!— died at age 34 in a car crash in 1967. Mariska, who was 3 at the time, and her two older brothers were in the car and survived the accident. "I've spent my whole life distancing myself from my mother, Jayne Mansfield, the sex symbol," Mariska says in the film'strailer. "Her career made me want to do it differently, but I want to understand her now." "I don't have any memories of her," she adds. In the documentary, Mariska also revealed a shocking family secret that she kept for 30 years. She explained that her biological father is not Mickey Hargitay, the man who raised her, but rather a former Las Vegas entertainer named Nelson Sardelli. Sonia Moskowitz/Getty She toldVanity Fairthat she first learned about Sardelli when she was 25 and then went to see him perform in Atlantic City, N.J., when she was 30. While Sardelli had an emotional reaction to their meeting, telling her, "I've been waiting 30 years for this moment" — Mariska grappled with "knowing I'm living a lie my entire life." During her discussion with Jong-Fast on Thursday, Mariska shared that shespent Father's Day with Sardelli, 90, this year. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "It was so magical," she recalled. "He apologized and he said, 'Thank you for forgiving me.' And I said, 'Thank you for making the choice that you made.' " "So it's like everyone was right in the end, but I grew up not knowing that," she added. The panel discussion was part ofHamptonsFilm's Summer Docs Screening Series. On Aug. 29,Middletowndirectors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss and film subject Jeff Dutemple will join Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) co-chairAlec Baldwinand artistic director David Nugent in conversation. Richard Gladstein, the new executive director of HamptonsFilms and HIFF, told PEOPLE: "We have a nice platform from which to show our films. And why do films want to come to film festivals? You create buzz and word of mouth about your film. That's what happens at film festivals. You discover films and filmmakers." Read the original article onPeople

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

Mariska Hargitay Jokes Only ‘Younger People’ Didn’t Know Her Mom Was Jayne Mansfield

Mariska Hargitay Jokes Only 'Younger People' Didn't Know Her Mom Was Jayne Mansfield Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Sunset Boulevard...

Read More

Norwegian author Ingvar Ambjørnsen dies at age 69

Norwegian author Ingvar Ambjørnsen dies at age 69

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Ingvar Ambjørnsen, a Norwegian author who mixed a sharp, even dark tone with humor and empathy in works that depicted the lives of the oppressed and vulnerable, has died, his publisher said. He was 69. The Cappelen Damm publishing house did not specify the cause of death. Ambjørnsen had long been public with his battle against a lung illness called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. Norwegian tabloid VG reported he is survived by his wife, Gabriele Haefs, saying she posted news of Ambjørnsen's death on Saturday. Born on May 20, 1956, in Tönsberg — described on his German-language author website as "Norway's most bar-filled town" — Ambjørnsen grew up in Larvik and worked in various jobs in industry and psychiatry before publishing his first documentary novel in 1981. Four years later, he moved to Hamburg, where he lived for decades. "His books are characterized by powerful, realistic descriptions of the seamier side of life," the publisher said. Ambjørnsen became one of the publisher's best-known contemporary authors with four novels built around the character Elling, a shy and imaginative outsider who coped with the funny but endearing foibles of daily life after release from a psychiatric hospital. The comedy "Elling" — the story of two recently released mental patients bunking together in an apartment in Oslo — was nominated in 2001 for anAcademy Awardas best foreign-language film. The tale landed on Broadway in 2010, with a play starring Denis O'Hare and Brendan Fraser: One of the misfits was fixated on his mother, the other obsessed with sex. According to the author website, Ambjørnsen wrote 18 novels and three collections of short stories, as well as several books for children and youth. A newly written collection of short stories is set to go on sale in Norway on July 31.

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

Norwegian author Ingvar Ambjørnsen dies at age 69

Norwegian author Ingvar Ambjørnsen dies at age 69 STOCKHOLM (AP) — Ingvar Ambjørnsen, a Norwegian author who mixed a sharp, even dark tone w...

Read More

21 Actors Who Almost Played Donna, Sophie and Sky in “Mamma Mia!”

21 Actors Who Almost Played Donna, Sophie and Sky in "Mamma Mia!"

Bryan Bedder/Getty ; Cinematic via Alamy ; Randall Michelson/WireImage Mamma Mia!starred Meryl Steep, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, among others The 2008 film attracted a number of Hollywood stars for auditions, including Emily Blunt and Amy Adams The movie musical hit Netflix on July 16 It's difficult to think of anyone other thanMeryl Streep,Amanda SeyfriedandDominic Cooperin the parts ofMamma Mia!'s Donna Sheridan, Sophie Sheridan and Sky Rymand — however, a number of actors wanted the roles. 2008'sMamma Mia!— which hit Netflix on July 16 — follows Sophie's (Seyfried) wedding to fiancé Sky (Cooper) at her mom Donna's (Streep) Greek hotel. However, unbeknownst to Donna, Sophie has invited three of her mother's former flames — Harry (Colin Firth), Bill (Stellan Skårsgard) and Sam (Pierce Brosnan) — to determine which one of them is her biological father. The film — which is based on the Broadway musical of the same name — spawned a 2018 sequel,Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. In August 2024,Christine Baranski, who played Tanya, revealed that athird movie is in the works. Streep, who was a fan of the Broadway musical, was a shoe-in for the part of Donna. "You don't ask Meryl Streep to audition," producer Judy Craymer toldVoguein a September 2023Mamma Mia!oral history. "Universal made a bit of a fuss because we didn't go over their list of ideas first, to which I said, 'Sorry, but there is no list—we gotMeryl f------ Streep!' " While many actresses auditioned for the role of Sophie, Seyfried ultimately captured the team's attention with her rendition ofABBA's "I Have a Dream," U.S. casting director Ellen Lewis toldVogue. Meanwhile, U.K. casting director Priscilla John "fought" for Cooper to play Sky. "The studio said they thought he wasn't fun enough," she toldVogue. "They saw him as a bad boy and seemed to want someone a bit more saccharine." So, who else was in the running to play the roles of Donna, Sophie and Sky? Here are 21 actors who nearly starred inMamma Mia!. Alamy STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Nicole Kidmanwas on the list of backups if Streep declined the role of Donna. "We were asked by Universal to prepare a list on the off chance that Meryl didn't wanna do it," director Phyllida Lloyd toldVogue. Don Arnold/WireImage Olivia Newton-John's previous musical experience withGreasealso made her a strong contender for Donna. "It was more likely that someone like Nicole Kidman or Olivia Newton-John might say yes, because they had a prior history of singing on-screen," Lloyd toldVogue. Vince Bucci/Getty While the team talked about auditioningMichelle Pfeifferfor the role of Sophie's mother, theGrease 2star never officially threw her hat in the ring, Lewis toldVogue. "I don't believe there were any actual conversations with her team," she said. "It never got further than an internal discussion between the filmmakers and the studio." Craymer added, "There were a lot of names on our list, but Meryl was the only person who [Lloyd] and I wanted." Alamy Dave Hogan/Getty The Devil Wears Pradastars Streep andEmily Bluntcould have had an on-screen reunion in Greece. John toldVoguethat Blunt was invited to audition, but turned it down. "Emily Blunt passed because she had moved to Los Angeles and was doing quite well at the time," she explained. Years later in 2018, theMary Poppins Returnsactress had the chance to sing some ABBA while appearing onJames Corden'sThe Late Late Show. Blunt belted out the band's "Dancing Queen" in a feather boa alongside Corden andLin-Manuel Mirandaas part of a 12-minute musical montage, perThe Hollywood Reporter. Dave M. Benett/Getty Downton AbbeystarMichelle Dockerywas a close second to Seyfried for casting directors. "We loved Michelle Dockery, and she could sing because she did all sorts of musicals in drama school," John toldVogue. Ultimately, Dockery took herself out of the running for Sophie. "She chose to do a play at the Almeida Theatre instead," John added. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Seyfried had some serious competition inCarey Mulligan, according to John, who had recently cast Mulligan in 2007'sAnd When Did You Last See Your Father?. "She got quite far before we ultimately chose Amanda, who could not only sing but also looked so much like Meryl," John toldVogue. Mulligan got her chance to play the part more than a decade later, when she was cast as Sophie in a 2019 spoof ofMamma Mia! Here We Go Againfor Red Nose Day. Jon Furniss/WireImage Game of Thrones' Natalie Dormer's busy schedule prevented her from taking on the role of Sophie. "We adored ... Natalie Dormer," John toldVogue. "But she was filmingThe Tudorsat the time and not available." Dave M. Benett/Getty AlthoughMammia Mia!casting directors calledThe King's Manstar Gemma Arterton "a very strong soprano," she didn't quite fit the visual they were going for in Donna's daughter. "She looked nothing like Meryl," John toldVogue. In 2019, Arterton teamed up with Mulligan for her Red Nose Day Mamma Mia sequel spoof, playing young Donna instead. Vera Anderson/WireImage Amy Adams— who went on to star with Streep in 2008'sDoubtand 2009'sJulie & Julia—was among the list of Hollywood legends whom Lewis recalled seeing audition for Sophie in Los Angeles. "Thankfully, I didn't really know anything about those A-list girls at the time," music director Martin Lowe toldVogue. "I've subsequently looked back at my lists of people we saw and been shocked to discover some of the people that I apparently met." Dave Hogan/Getty She & Him singerZooey Deschanelwas one of the few musicians who tried out for the role of Sophie. "I don't remember that many actual singers auditioning," Lewis toldVogue. Zak Hussein/PA Images via Getty According to John,Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryalumFelicity Jonessold her vocal abilities short during her audition. "Felicity Jones was adorable but kept telling me she wasn't right for the part because she couldn't sing—even though she could," John toldVogue. Todd Williamson/WireImage Evan Rachel Wood, who's known for her singing roles in projects likeAcross the UniverseandFrozen 2, also tried out for the role of Sophie, Lewis revealed toVogue. TheWestworldactress later joined forces with Seyfried to workshop amusical adaptation ofThelma & Louise. The musical has been in the works since at least 2021, perVariety. Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Gossip GirlactressLeighton Meesteralso auditioned for the part of Sophie, Lewis toldVogue. Meester went on to show off her vocal talents in Cobra Starship's 2009 song "Good Girls Go Bad" and as Chiles Stanton in 2010'sCountry StrongoppositeGwyneth Paltrow. Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Mandy Moorehad a vote of confidence for herMamma Mia!audition from former costarChris Klein, who acted alongside her inAmerican Dreams. "You guys had Mandy Moore in here?" Klein asked in his own leakedaudition tape. "She is an angel of all angels ... she is just a dream come true. You should hire her on the spot." Jeff Vespa/WireImage Kirsten Dunstwas yet another name on Lewis' list of notable actresses who went out for the part of Sophie in L.A. Dunst got the opportunity to sing in 2007'sSpider-Man 3, tellingreportersat the film's premiere, "It was fun. I got to pre-record it so it wasn't so nerve-wracking. I didn't have to sing in front of our entire crew." When asked if she'd like to pursue a musical career, Dunst said, "Definitely not. I'll sing in movies." Alamy Chris Jackson/Getty According to John, "All sorts of names came in for Sky," among themOutlander'sSam Heughan. But unfortunately, his audition was one of his "worst" acting experiences, he toldBackstagein September 2020. "I was working with Will Young, this British musician, and he helped me with the song. He was, like, 'This is really high, I'll transfer it down an octave.' So I felt reasonably comfortable with it," he recalled. "I went in and I gave it to the piano player and I was, like, 'I'm just gonna put this down an octave.' And he was, like, 'No you're not. I'm the musical supervisor, you're going to do it like this.' It was like strangling a cat, singing forMamma Mia!" Astrid Stawiarz/Getty John toldVoguethat English actorHenry Cavillwas on the list of front-runners for the part of Sky, but it didn't work out due to scheduling. "We were interested ... but he was inThe Tudorsat the time and unavailable," she shared. Stephen Lovekin/Getty Cooper's part of Sky might have gone toThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2alum Joe Anderson. "He had just done a musical [2007'sAcross the Universe] and his audition was fabulous," John toldVogue. Mike Marsland/WireImage AtonementstarJames McAvoywas also approached by the casting directors for the part of Sky. "We went out to James McAvoy andTom Hardybut they were both unavailable," John toldVogue. Jon Furniss/WireImage Tom Hardy was also "unavailable" for the role of Sky, according to John. ANDREAS BRANCH/Patrick McMullan via Getty TheAmerican Pieactor also auditioned for the role of Sky — and his audition tape later went viral, racking up over 500,000 views. "It's a horrible audition," Klein toldHuffpostin March 2012. "I took a chance — I can't sing! I don't know why I was in there. But I took a chance! It's a musical — let's see if I can give it a shot." "It wasreallya dreadful audition," he added. Read the original article onPeople

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

21 Actors Who Almost Played Donna, Sophie and Sky in “Mamma Mia!”

21 Actors Who Almost Played Donna, Sophie and Sky in "Mamma Mia!" Bryan Bedder/Getty ; Cinematic via Alamy ; Randall Michelson/Wir...

Read More

Trump approval rating drops in new poll; more Americans oppose immigration policies

Trump approval rating drops in new poll; more Americans oppose immigration policies

A new poll found that support forPresident Donald Trump'simmigration policiesis falling, with stark differences among Republicans and Democrats on deportations and the use of detention facilities. The poll, released July 20 by CBS/YouGov, found that immigration is the top issue respondents said swayed their opinion of the president's job performance, with 61% saying immigration and deportation policies "mattered a lot," followed by inflation and the economy. Overall, the poll putsTrump's approvalrating at 42%, with disapproval at 58%. The survey previously found Trump's approval rating was 45% in June and 47% in mid-April. In contrast, the second-term president's aggregate approval ratings fromThe New York TimesandReal Clear Politicsshow a 44% and 45.5% approval, respectively, and a 53% and 52% disapproval. The new survey's findings come just a few days afterTrump's approval numbers on immigrationhit an all-time low since the start of his second term in aReuters/Ipsos poll, conducted between July 15 and July 16. Approximately 41% of Americans approved of the administration's immigration stances, while 51% disapproved. Among the 2,343 U.S. adult respondents in the CBS poll, 56% said they disapprove of the way the president is handling immigration, while 44% said they approve. That's a ten-point drop from when pollsters asked the same question at the beginning of the president's second term in February, the outlet reports, when 54% approved and 46% disapproved. The poll also specifically asked respondents about the administration's efforts to deport immigrants they say are in the U.S. illegally. Support for the push has also dropped ten points since February, with a majority now against the policies. Less than half − 49% − of respondents said they approved of the deportations in the July survey, compared to 59% in the results from February. "Approval of the deportation program has slipped over these months to become slightly net-negative now, with support becoming more exclusively drawn from Republicans and MAGA identifiers,"CBS saidupon release of the results on Sunday. The differences in support for Trump's immigration policies is split among party lines. Nearly all Republicans surveyed − 91% − say they approve of the president's deportation program. Among Democrats, 14% say they approve, while a majority – 86% – disapproved. Among independents, 59% were against the deportations and 41% were for them. The administration's use of detention facilities, like its deportation efforts, saw similar results in the July poll, with 58% disapproving and 42% approving of their use. Support was also drawn across party lines, with 85% of Republicans approving of the detention facilities, compared to 15% of Democrats. The poll was conducted between July 16-18. It has a margin of error of ±2.5 points. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Approval rating, immigration: Trump polling numbers drop in new survey

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

Trump approval rating drops in new poll; more Americans oppose immigration policies

Trump approval rating drops in new poll; more Americans oppose immigration policies A new poll found that support forPresident Donald Trump...

Read More

Angry storms, 'heat dome' threaten to fuel dangerous weather week

Angry storms, 'heat dome' threaten to fuel dangerous weather week

Bouts of severe weather coupled with unrelenting heat threaten to provide Americans with a tumultuous and possibly deadly weather week, forecasters say. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms will bringrisks of flash floodingthrough the Midwest and East on theperiphery of a "heat dome"that could bring triple-digit temperatures to parts of multiple states, AccuWeather warned. More than 50 million Americans from Texas to Missouri were already under National Weather Service extreme heat warnings or advisories on July 20. Thunderstorms at night could bring hail downpours from southern Nebraska to Canada, with wind gusts possibly reaching 85 miles per hour. The severe weather threat sweeps across the Midwest and East on July 21, with Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia all facing the possibility of flash flooding and gusty winds. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said that much of the region was hammered by heavy thunderstorms recently and can't absorb another round. "We are highly concerned about the risk of dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding in the zone from southern Illinois and Indiana to central and eastern Kentucky, central and southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia," Sosnowski said. A bulge in the jet stream developing as high pressure builds could create a persistent heat dome lingering well into August, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. The Kansas City, Missouri, area, which hasn't hit 100 degrees in two years, could reach the figure multiple times this week, he said. Dallas could see 100 degrees for the first time in 2025. "This has the look of a long-lasting heat wave with limited rainfall," Merrill said. "Drought will expand through the central Plains by mid-August and worsen in Kansas and Nebraska, where there are already pockets of moderate to extreme drought." Number missing in Texas floodsdrops from 97 to 3, officials say The number of people thought to bemissing in the devastatingfloods in Kerr County, Texas, over the Fourth of July holiday weekend has beenrevised down from 97 to three, officials announced July 19. The city of Kerrville, Texas, said the Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center confirmed that "through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies, many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list." On July 15, Gov. Greg Abbott said 97 people werestill listed as missingin the greater Kerrville area, down from 160-plus about a week ago. As of July 17, Abbott said, the death toll stood at 135 statewide, with 116 from Kerr County perishing in the floods.Read more here. Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Wild weather: Angry storms, 'heat dome' fuel forecast for much of US

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

Angry storms, 'heat dome' threaten to fuel dangerous weather week

Angry storms, 'heat dome' threaten to fuel dangerous weather week Bouts of severe weather coupled with unrelenting heat threaten to ...

Read More

At least 14 dead in ‘once-in-a-century’ storms in South Korea

At least 14 dead in 'once-in-a-century' storms in South Korea

At least 14 people have died and 12 are missing after five days of torrential rain in South Korea in what the national weather agency described as a "once-in-a-century" event. The country's southern regions have received up to 600-800 millimetres of rain since Wednesday, some of the heaviest hourly rainfall on record. Torrential downpours hit Gapyeong, a resort town 70km east of Seoul on early Sunday, leaving at least two dead and four missing. One person was found dead after being swept away by the floods, and another was killed after their house collapsed because of the heavy rainfall. There are concerns that the death toll could continue to rise, with 12 people still missing according to the Ministry of the Interior and the Safety and National Fire Agency on Sunday. Over 2,000 public buildings have been damaged across the country, according to the ministry, with reports of damage to farmland and the death of livestock. Communication remains unstable in the areas hit by flooding, and many sites remain inaccessible, according to local reports. Footage shows heavy rainfall in the south of the country, with submerged vehicles, roads blocked by water, people wading through the streets and the extensive damage to farmland. In response to the floods,Lee Jae-myung, South Korea's president, ordered on Sunday for the areas that were hit the hardest by the extreme weather to be designated as special disaster zones, and the government has set up a multi-agency recovery effort. The majority of deaths have occurred in the southern county of Sancheong, with eight people killed and six others unaccounted for in the town following landslides, flash floods and the collapse of houses after experiencing almost 800 millimetres of rainfall since Wednesday. Earlier this week, three people were found dead in a flooded car, and a person was also killed after their car was buried by soil and concrete after an overpass collapsed in Osan, south of Seoul. Across the region, nearly 10,000 people have evacuated their homes since Wednesday, while more than 41,000 households have temporarily lost power, the BBC reports. South Korea also endured heavy rain and flooding in 2022,killing at least 11 people. The rain has mostly stopped in the worst-affected southern and central areas, with the rainfall moving north overnight and is expected to last until Monday in some areas, before a heatwave next week. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

byAdministrator

in

July 20, 2025

At least 14 dead in ‘once-in-a-century’ storms in South Korea

At least 14 dead in 'once-in-a-century' storms in South Korea At least 14 people have died and 12 are missing after five days of tor...

Read More