Mariska Hargitay won two Emmy Awards on Saturday night for her HBO documentary My Mom Jayne, which explores the life and career of her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield, and a mystery surrounding Hargitay's biological father. The film won Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, and Hargitay also won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program at the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
In her acceptance speech for the documentary award, Hargitay paid tribute to feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who died Wednesday at age 92. Hargitay quoted Steinem, saying her hero and friend had recently told her to tell her own story. Hargitay said the most important thing people can do for each other is to know each other through stories, adding that she got to know her mother through telling the story and calling it an indescribable gift.
Accepting the directing award, Hargitay said she realized during the pandemic that the story was hers to tell and that she could direct it. She again referenced Steinem's counsel about telling your own story and extended an invitation especially to women, saying she was excited to explore new ways of telling stories from half the earth's population. Hargitay said backstage that she is at a place in her life where she says yes to new challenges and is not governed by fear.
The wins came ahead of Hargitay hosting the televised Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday. Hargitay, who stars in Law & Order: SVU entering its 28th season, recently made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing. In the documentary series category, Rebecca Miller won for her five-part series about filmmaker Martin Scorsese.