Following in the footsteps of Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift unveiled her own iPhone app on Tuesday. To bring her music video for "Blank Space" to life, Swift created the "Blank Space Experience" game. Well, technically it's a "game," but it's also a behind-the-scenes look at her music video. Hearing this news felt like Christmas (because who wasn't temporarily addicted to Kim Kardashian: Hollywood ?) and I couldn't wait to try it. Turns out it's very different from Kardashian's app and really is just a gigantic game of iSpy. Regardless of logistics, it's still a neat concept. It takes the setting of Swift's music video and lets fans explore it, in the hopes of discovering hidden objects. (See the iSpy connection now?) There are also a few extra characters, such as the butler, gardener, and painter who looks pretty familiar. So who is the painter from Taylor Swift's game in real life? I have your answer!
But first: what's this game all about? As explained in the game's FAQ section:
Each of the characters plays a role in Taylor’s video. Once you have followed Taylor’s story we encourage you to follow the other characters in the mansion. Each of the characters contributes to the overarching story in their own unique way.
Since the video game was filmed in conjunction with the music video (meaning real video footage was transformed into the phone app), that means the extra characters are played by real people. We already know Sean O'Pry plays Swift's love interest, but the painter (who was added for the game) is a comedian named Duval Culpepper. Thanks to the handy credits on the app, I was able to find his name!
According to his website, Culpepper is a writer and comedian. He does stand-up comedy, and you can find videos of his past performances on YouTube. Culpepper also appeared in the promo for the 2014 MTV Music Awards as a disgruntled director.
Now that the mystery is solved, let's take a look at his role in the "Blank Space" game. He's one of the characters you can follow throughout the mansion.
He first appears in the room while Swift and her "boyfriend" O'Pry are dancing around. He takes Swift's painting and brings it to the living room.
Then, bizarrely, he replaces the painting with a photo of Swift's cat Olivia Benson, but not before dancing around the room with it. Actually, I'm not that surprised. T. Swift loves that cat!
As a comedian, I'm sure he found the whole thing very amusing. Fingers crossed that he does a stand-up routine reflecting on his time working with Taylor Swift!
Images: Taylor Swift Blank Space Experience screenshots, Duval Culpepper/Instagram
