Mariska Hargitay attends the 2023 Stuttering Association For The Young Benefit Gala © getty

Mariska Hargitay sparks reaction from fans as she honors late mom Jayne Mansfield – see photo

The Law & Order: SVU star was only three years old when her mom tragically died in a car crash

Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
August 3, 2023

Mariska Hargitay is fondly looking back at memories of her mom, beauty and movie icon Jayne Mansfield, with a sweet photograph of the late star.

The Law & Order: SVU lead was only three years old when her mom tragically died aged only 34 in 1967, but nearly 60 years later, she is still honoring her legacy.

As the star shared a photo of her mother, fans loved to see a glimpse into the past with the actress' sweet tribute.

WATCH: Mariska Hargitay gets emotional on Today following co-star Richard Belzer's death

Mariska took to Instagram Wednesday and honored both her mom and the ever-lasting Barbie trend that has pink-ified everything as of late, sharing a photo of Jayne posing in a beautiful, draped pink gown with a one-shoulder silhouette, resting on an Ionic column.

She's posing in front of a matching pink background, donning glossy pink lipstick, and her coiffed hair is edited into a bright white hue.

MORE: Mariska Hargitay shares very rare photos of children Amaya and Andrew – and look how they've grown

Mariska's caption was a slew of fitting hashtags, including: "Mama," "Jayne," "Barbie," "Vibes," and "Pink."

Her comments were quickly awash with loads of praise for the post, and Jayne herself, with Mariska's best friend Ali Wentworth leaving behind a string of pink heart emojis, as Nancy Sinatra, who also had an iconic parent in the one and only Frank Sinatra, endearingly wrote: "Love your mama."

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Other fans added: "The Barbie of all Barbies, your legacy lives on," and: "Epitome of a woman! An icon who created another powerful female icon!!" as well as: "Beautiful photo of a beautiful woman who brought to us a beautiful daughter," plus another also wrote: "It's unbelievable how much you look like your mother. Both beautiful ladies!"

© Getty

Jayne, pictured above in 1955, was often considered a B-movie counterpart to Marilyn Monroe

Mariska was born out of Jayne's marriage to Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-American actor and the 1955 Mr. Universe.

Before her untimely death, the blonde bombshell was a Playboy Playmate who starred in movies such as A Guide for the Married Man and Dog Eat Dog. She was married three times; she first married Paul Mansfield in 1950. They had one daughter, Jayne Marie Mansfield, but divorced.

MORE: Mariska Hargitay looks so in love with very famous husband on rare date night

She next wed Mickey in 1958, and they had three children together. Her eldest is Mickey Hargitay Jr., 64, then Zoltan, 62, and Mariska, 59. After divorcing Mickey in 1964, Jayne wed Matt Climber; while that marriage lasted just two years, it produced her fifth and youngest child, Tony Climber, 57.

© Getty

Jayne holding six-weeks-old Mariska in 1964

Jayne died in a car crash – according to reports at the time, she is said to have been decapitated – in Biloxi, Mississippi in June of 1967.

After two appearances at the Gus Stevens Supper Club, she was headed to New Orleans, with her kids Mariska, Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, as well as with her attorney Sam Brody and their driver Ronnie Harrison, who was 20 at the time.

© Getty

The late actress pictured with kids Mickey, Zoltan, and Mariska months before her 1967 death

Close to 2:30am on US Highway 90, their 1966 Buick Electra 225 crashed head-on at high speed to the back of a tractor trailer that had slowed down.

The three adults sitting in the front died instantly from severe head trauma, while the three kids, who were asleep in the rear seat, only faced minor injuries.

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