Mariska Hargitay smiling at Edge at Hudson Yards on January 16, 2024 alongside a photo of a Colombian Boa.Photo:Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty Images; Getty Images

Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty Images; Getty Images
Mariska Hargitayis in her reputation era!
On Tuesday, theLaw & Order: SVUstar channelled her palTaylor Swifton Instagram, sharing two photos of herself posing with a Boa constrictor — pics she joked in a hashtag were representative of “Reputation (My Version),” a play on Swift’s sixth studio album.
Though her time with the reptile gave Hargitay a chance to show off her inner Swiftie, it appeared to be more about reliving a part of her past.
“So… fun fact — when I was a kid, we had a boa constrictor as a pet," Hargitay, 60, captioned the photos, snapped as the actress closed her eyes while the snake slithered along the side of her face. “I know I know… I got to hold this gorgeous creature yesterday. It brought me right back!”
She added a sea of other hashtags, including “#SnakeKisses #Snake #SnakeLife #Trust #SnakeCharmer” and “#AlbinoSnake” — the latter appearing to be an indication of the snake she had when she was a kid.
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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Commenters quickly shared their fears, one writing, “OMG I’d be terrified, but somehow you make it look like a cute fluffy kitten.”
That seemed to spark other emotions in Hargitay’s fans. “Guys if Olivia Benson held my hand while holding a snake I’d cry,” said one of her followers.
She shared that story on Instagram Tuesday, too. “So this happened… let me just say I was terrified but I decided to#FeelTheFearAndDoItAnyway," Hargitay explained. “I have been scared of spiders and tarantulas my entire life.”
Turns out, Hargitay overcame those fears easily. “Never in 1 million years did I think I would be able to hold one AND I sat there and realized that I could overcome this perceived obstacle — that it was just pure fear, and there wasn’t any real danger there,” she said.
In the photo, Hargitay sat in a chair as she held the large tarantula in her palms. Wearing her glasses, she looked relaxed and focused as she kept her glaze on the spider.
She added, “Feeling their little nails was just the sweetest thing. I NEVER thought I would say that. Feels like such a monumental moment of growth. P.S it fell asleep in my hand.#WeCanDoHardThings.”
source: people.com