Mariska Hargitay has a huge fan in Taylor Swift, who named one of her cats “Olivia” after the actress’s character on Law & Order: SVU, and after she ran into another idol of Swift’s on Super Bowl Sunday, she took to Instagram to give the singer a shoutout.
Hargitay ran into Ellen Pompeo–whose Grey’s Anatomy character Meredith inspired Swift when it came time to name her other cat–and had someone snap a photo of the two of them just for Swift. The moment was too good not to capture, and Hargitay mentioned the singer in her caption along with several cat-related hashtags.
While most of the nation was riveted to their televisions to see who would take home the Super Bowl title, Swift had other things on her mind.
OH. MY. GOD.
therealmariskahargitay's photo http://t.co/rLgSSm2tJy
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) February 1, 2015
@taylorswift13 we did that just for you….and the fan girls of course
— Ellen Pompeo (@EllenPompeo) February 2, 2015
Hargitay made headlines last year when she championed an effort in New York to end rape kit backlogs, which has become an issue over the years for cities that don’t have adequate funding. Appearing on behalf of her Joyful Heart Foundation, Hargitay said she was shocked that thousands of rape kits had gone untested.
“I remember first hearing about the backlog and I remember I was so deeply shocked and offended and outraged and dismayed. The rape kit backlog sends two terrible messages. To victims, it says: ‘you don’t matter. What happened to you doesn’t matter,” Mariska Hargitay said.
. Mariska Hargitay’s role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU has taken her to some dark places over the years onscreen, which has helped make her a role model to women all over the country who have suffered abuse and violence. Last year, Benson had to face the man who kidnapped and tortured her in court, and Hargitay said the experience was necessary, if a bit harrowing.
“I think it was important for her to face [Lewis] again because she can, and victims, I feel, need to sometimes be reminded of their own inner strength. I want them to know what they already feel, never doubt Olivia and never doubt yourself,” Mariska Hargitay said.