Most spiders are totally harmless, but they look scary, so a lot of people freak out. Eight legs, eight eyes, fangs, the ability to spin sticky sadistic webs to trap prey. Whenever they dart across the floor, it's hard not to jump. You might scream, or you might burn your house to the ground trying to kill the spiders with a blowtorch like this American man. (Worth it!)
Of course, some people see spiders and are totally unfazed, like Nicole Kidman. In a new Instagram video, she discovers a massive tarantula creeping around her swimming pool. In the background, her kids scream, "Get back, mom! Step back!" The spider appears to fall in the water, and could have drowned. Luckily, Nicole's there to rescue it. The video cuts to the terrifying arachnid safely contained in a jar. "I had to take care of this spider," says the actress.
Don't worry, animal lovers - the tarantula didn't get squished or flushed down the toilet. In the caption, Nicole revealed she let it go free. "House guest! Catch and release…spider released unharmed and healthy ❤️ Happy Sunday." How is she so comfortable around spiders? Maybe it's because she’s from Australia, the country full of poisonous animals that want to kill you and will haunt your dreams forever. Or maybe, after being married to Tom Cruise for eleven years, she can handle anything.
In the comment section, some celebrities posted reactions. Nicole's Big Little Lies co-star Zoe Kravitz commented, "What ?????" Octavia Spenser commented, "I would have to move. Nope." Naomi Watts commented, "You are kidding me!! My worst nightmare!!!" Sarah Paulson wrote that she loved the kids' screaming in the background. "STEP BACK MOM, STEP BACK!! Protecting you... so sweeeeeeet." And model Lily Aldridge was scared speechless, posting five panic emoijis. (You'll never sleep again, Lily!)
So, if you ever see a massive spider at home, call Nicole Kidman. She's not just an Oscar-winning actress; she's a tarantula wrangler. And if you ever see a massive snake in your home, call Spanish model Elsa Pataky. Elsa's married to Chris Hemsworth, and recently found a huge tree snake in her bathroom. But rather than call animal control or wait for Thor to come home, she handled the situation herself. She removed the slithering beast from her bathroom without even breaking a sweat.
Maybe we're scared of spiders and snakes because they represent evil in so many works of fiction. These creatures are the inspiration for famous monsters, and have a pretty bad rep. But the truth is, they’re mostly harmless, and have no interest in hurting humans unless they're provoked. Instead of overreacting, or squishing them, maybe we should attempt a catch and release like Nicole Kidman. Just don't think about the 23-foot python that swallowed a 54-year-old woman in Indonesia or Shelob from Lord of the Rings.