Hollywood star Mariska Hargitay was recently spotted with her seldom-seen teenage son, whom she shares with her husband, Peter Hermann. The online community is divided on whether the 17-year-old takes after his mother or father.

The 59-year-old actress took to Instagram to share a photo of herself and her 17-year-old son during a safari trip in Kenya. In the snapshot, the doting mom was seated in the front passenger seat of a four-by-four vehicle, dressed in safari gear with sunglasses, a hat, and a khaki top. Her handsome teenager son sat behind her, flashing a bright smile for the camera.

The image sparked varied reactions as people observed the distinct “resemblance” August Miklos Friedrich Hermann shares with his famous parents. Some viewers commented that August looks like a copy of his mom, Mariska, while others insisted he closely resembles his dad, Peter Hermann.

One observer noted, “You really said copy and paste with August’s face!” Another commented, “August really just went and took Peter’s entire face. ”

Mariska and Peter welcomed their firstborn son, August, on June 28, 2006. The dark-haired adolescent has always shared a close bond with his mother. Mariska recounted stories of traveling with August from a very young age, even on planes when he was just six weeks old.

The “Law & Order: SVU” star shared a humorous anecdote about August’s curiosity and restlessness during flights. Despite needing to stay seated with a seatbelt, the active toddler explored the plane, prompting his mom to say, “He’s such a curious and social little guy. I think he was going stir crazy sitting in a chair…”

Beyond his curiosity, August is a loving big brother to his younger siblings, Amaya Josephine Hermann and Andrew Nicolas Hermann, both adopted by Mariska and Peter. August, according to Mariska, considered Amaya “his baby” and expressed his commitment to protecting her. He even believed that the adoptions of Amaya and Andrew were the result of his wishes, stating, “I want a baby sister,” and then Amaya arrived, followed by, “I want a baby brother,” leading to Andrew joining the family.

Mariska concluded by playfully noting that August felt empowered and overjoyed when his wishes for younger siblings came true through the successful adoptions of Amaya and Andrew.