Music
Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” Video Has So Many Easter Eggs & Cameos
The singer is taking us back to the ’90s, fashion and all.
Taylor Swift has proven that love can come from the most unexpected places — including a spray, apparently. On Feb. 6 (aka 2/6/26, which is double her lucky number 13), the singer released her new music video for “Opalite,” the latest single from her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, and she’s taking us back to the ’90s, with some special guest stars in tow.
Taking to social media, Swift said the idea for the “Opalite” music video “crash-landed into my imagination” during her October appearance on The Graham Norton Show. “For those of you who aren’t familiar, it’s a UK late night show where Graham Norton (the insanely charismatic and lovable host) invites a random group of actors, entertainers, musicians, etc. to be on his show and we all sit there and chat like it’s a dinner party,” she wrote. “They even serve wine.”
When fellow guest Domnhall Gleeson said he was aiming to be in one of Swift’s music videos, she took it seriously. “He’s Irish! He was joking!” she wrote. “Except that in that moment during the interview, I was instantly struck with an *idea*. And so a week later he received an email script I’d written for the ‘Opalite’ video, where he was playing the starring role.”
Written and directed by Swift herself, the video begins with a cheesy ’90s infomercial promoting the new Opalite spray, which turns bad relationships, friendships, or even co-workers into their own “paradise.” Cue a brunette Swift, whose best friend is a rock that she does everything with (including karaoke), and Gleeson, who is in a masochist relationship with a cactus.
When they buy the Opalite bottle and Swift accidentally sprays herself, she ends up in Gleeson’s house (drenched) and finds her unexpected soulmate, culminating in an epic dance number that’s reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite and Ross and Monica’s Friends routine. Naturally, those weren’t the only Easter eggs and cultural references in the music video.
The George Michael Poster
In her ‘90s-style bedroom, Swift has a poster of George Michael and his hit single “Faith” on CD, two nods to her Showgirl track “Father Figure,” which interpolates Michael’s hit of the same name.
The Friendship Bracelet
In true Swiftian fashion, she makes the rock a friendship bracelet that says “FRIENDS4EVER,” nodding to her Eras Tour trend that has since become a bonding activity between Swifties.
Greta Lee’s MTV Moment
Not only did Swift make Gleeson’s dream come true, but she also got all of her fellow Graham Norton guests to make cameos, starting with Greta Lee. The actor appeared as an Alanis Morissette-esque ‘90s rock chick on MTV, singing a particularly passionate rendition of “Opalite.”
Jodie Turner-Smith Gets Physical
Swift changed into ’80s workout clothes and watched an old-school exercise video with Jodie Turner-Smith as her aerobics instructor. The singer high-fived the rock once they were done.
Austin Swift Gets Festive
When Gleeson goes to a holiday party with his cactus, in an ugly Christmas sweater no less, Swift’s brother, Austin, is seen as a guest in the background, making casual small talk.
Lewis Capaldi Becomes Their Friend
Swift and Gleeson pose for tacky (complimentary) couple’s pictures at a one-hour-photo studio, where Lewis Capaldi is their photographer. He catches on to the couple’s awesome vibes and decides to join in, declaring, “I want to be your friend.”
A Mall Full Of Lyrics
Swift and Gleeson go on an adorable mall date, and of course, the stores are named after lyrics from The Life of a Showgirl, decked out in ‘80s neon signs. “Sweeter Than a Peach” comes from the title track, while “Dear Protegé” originates from “Father Figure” and “Infamy Loves Co.” (short for company) is a nod to “CANCELLED!”
The “Mad Woman” Reference
The rock, who looks glowing and snatched, gets its revenge against Swift, crashing her mall date with Gleeson and wearing a friendship bracelet that now says “F*CKU4EVER.” This is a lyric from Swift’s song “Mad Woman” off her 2020 album Folklore, which makes it even more poetic.
Cillian Murphy Sneaks In
Swift got Oscar winner Cillian Murphy to appear in the video. He posed as the picture-perfect spokesperson for Opalite spray and did the voiceover for the ad at the beginning.
Graham Norton Is The Villain
Hilariously, Swift cast the person who brought the cast together for this video as the villain of sorts. Host Graham Norton sells reverse Nopalite spray at the mall, turning a person’s partner into a stapler, but Gleeson saves the day before Graham almost does the same to Swift.
An Eras Tour Reunion
Swift reunited with some of her Eras Tour crew for the music video, including her dancer Kameron Saunders, who plays a dance competition judge, and gives her and Gleeson a score of zero. Even her most loyal friends couldn’t get behind that routine.
