Mariska Hargitay, the beloved star of Law & Order: SVU, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a glimpse into her adventurous side, channeling her inner Taylor Swift in a unique and unexpected way.
Hargitay posed alongside a Boa constrictor in a series of photos, with hashtags representative of “Reputation (My Version),” a play on Swift’s sixth studio album.
With closed eyes and a serene expression, she seemed at ease as the snake slithered near her face, evoking a mix of admiration and apprehension from her fans.
However, this daring encounter wasn’t merely a social media stunt. Hargitay revealed a personal connection to the reptile, revealing, “When I was a kid, we had a boa constrictor as a pet.” Her post, accompanied by various hashtags, including #SnakeCharmer and #Trust, hinted at a deeper nostalgia and appreciation for snakes.
Despite some followers’ initial trepidation, Hargitay assured them with a heartfelt message, promising to offer support to those who shared her fear. Her genuine empathy and courage resonated deeply with fans, eliciting responses ranging from admiration to tears of joy.
But Hargitay didn’t stop at conquering her fear of snakes. In another display of bravery, she faced her lifelong phobia of spiders by holding a tarantula. Sharing the transformative experience on social media, she recounted her journey from fear to empowerment, inspiring others to confront their anxieties.
In the accompanying photo, Hargitay appears calm and composed as she cradles the tarantula in her hands, embodying resilience and inner strength. Her profound reflection on fear as a teacher and healer strikes a chord with followers, fostering a sense of shared growth and connection.
She concluded her post with the hashtag #WeCanDoHardThings.
It was a full-circle cat moment for Hargitay and Swift earlier this year. The Law & Order: SVU star recently returned the favor after Swift — a longtime fan of the actress — named one of her beloved felines Olivia Benson after Hargitay’s iconic role.
Hargitay revealed in November that her family had welcomed a cat named “Karma,” named for Swift’s 2022 Midnights hit. The singer responded enthusiastically on Instagram, commenting, “Are you serious?!!!! Nothing has ever come more full circle ⭕️ LOVE THIS SO MUCH!! 😻”
“I mean, it was only right,” the actress told ET while promoting the upcoming seasons of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU.
“It was only fair,” she adds of the cat’s cute name. “There was no other name that was even an option.”
Fittingly, Swift sings on “Karma”: “Karma is a cat // Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me.”
It was back in 2014 that Swift named her second Scottish fold cat after Hargitay’s character. Swift has three cats in total, all with pop culture-inspired names. She welcomed her first Scottish fold in 2011, naming her Meredith Grey after Ellen Pompeo’s Grey’s Anatomy character. In 2019, after meeting on the set of her “ME!” music video, Swift adopted a Ragdoll cat and named him Benjamin Button after Brad Pitt’s iconic film role.
