Mariska Hargitay’s deeply personal documentary My Mom Jayne is striking a powerful chord with viewers, and may be headed toward serious awards attention.
The film, which premiered on HBO on June 27 and quickly gained momentum over the July 4 weekend, marks Hargitay’s debut as a director.
It tells the story of her late mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield, and is now officially in the running for Oscar consideration.
Before arriving on HBO, the documentary quietly met the Academy’s eligibility requirements with a weeklong theatrical run at the Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood from June 20 to 26.
That screening qualifies the film for a potential Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature, and Hargitay’s team plans to campaign for it through strong efforts this awards season.
My Mom Jayne first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, followed by a U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June.
It currently holds a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been praised by The New York Times as “an exceptional family tale.”
The film explores both the glamorous and tragic chapters of Mansfield’s life, including the 1967 car crash that claimed her life.
Hargitay, who was just three years old at the time, was one of Mansfield’s children in the car who survived.
Through the film, Hargitay reflects on the decades she spent navigating grief, trauma, and unanswered questions, including a personal revelation she shares publicly for the first time toward the end of the documentary.
Hargitay said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “The messages I have received both directly and through social media since we released My Mom Jayne have been extraordinary.
It has been beautiful to see how the story has not only resonated with people, but how many have been moved to engage with their own families’ stories in a new way.
HBO also expressed pride in the project, sharing, “We’re incredibly proud of the film and heartened by the extraordinary audience reception.”
