Mariska Hargitay Pays Tribute to Taylor Swift with Her Feline Friend
Mariska Hargitay reciprocates the gesture and honors Taylor Swift by naming her cat after one of the singer's iconic songs, after Swift named her own pet after Hargitay's beloved 'Law & Order' character
Taylor Swift, Mariska Hargitay. Dimitrios Kambouris/LP5/Getty Images for TAS
Karma is a cat purring in Mariska Hargitay’s lap.
The Law & Order: SVU actress, 59, took to social media on Thursday, November 30, to announce a special addition to her family: her new kitten.
"Meet Karma, my cat, rocking a bright red collar. #MeAndKarmaVibeLikeThat #AndIKeepMySideOfMyPawClean #KarmaIsACat," she captioned the Instagram post, referencing Taylor Swift's single "Karma" from her 2022 album Midnights.
The post featured two photos of the furry feline lounging on a bed and grooming itself. In the comments section, the official Law & Order Instagram account wrote, "No we're obsessed," and Hargitay's costar Ryan Buggle requested, "Please bring this baby to work."
The tribute to Swift, 33, has been a long time in the making. The Grammy winner named her cat Olivia after Hargitay’s SVU character, Olivia Benson. Olivia is one of Swift’s three cats, alongside Meredith — named after Ellen Pompeo’s Grey’s Anatomy character, Meredith Grey — and Benjamin Button.
“When she named her cat, I had so much going on,” Hargitay told We exclusively in October 2014 of learning about the name choice. In gratitude, Hargitay gifted Swift an engraved collar in the shape of a heart. “I was out of town, and when things calmed down, I thought it warranted a real something [special],” she said. “That’s so sweet and too fabulous.”
Hargitay and Swift share a long-standing friendship. The actress made an appearance in Swift’s star-studded 2015 music video for her single “Bad Blood.” Months later, Hargitay celebrated Swift’s Video of the Year win at the MTV VMA’s with a touching tribute. She posted a sweet photo of the two of them at the awards show, expressing her joy at being there with the #GirlSquad to support Swift and watch her win. Hargitay also congratulated Swift, saying "You earned it. #JusticeIsServed #BadBlood #BestVid #MadLove #JusticeAndCatastoprhe."
Taylor Swift. Raymond Hall/GC Images
Hargitay later appeared on stage during Swift's 1989 World Tour and wrote a brief essay honoring Swift when she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People.
"She's a megawatt talent, with an extraordinary spirit and an irresistible blend of impishness, poise, and radiance," Hargitay raved about the singer in the April 2015 issue. "Every time I see her, she rocks me back on my heels. She writes her own songs, which makes her music personal, of the moment, and impossible to resist."
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Earlier this year, Hargitay showed her support for Swift once again by attending one of her Los Angeles Eras Tour stops in August. Two months later, she brought her 12-year-old daughter Amaya, whom she shares with husband Peter Hermann, to Swift’s Eras Tour movie premiere.
“She’s truly magical. There's nothing she can’t accomplish,” Hargitay told Entertainment Tonight last month. “It’s been incredibly special to tap into that innocence again, you know? I think Taylor delivers such a powerful message to kids and taps into the emotions of these young girls.”
