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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift releases “Opalite” music video featuring Cillian Murphy and Graham Norton

Taylor Swift has unveiled the official music video for “Opalite,” a track from her album “The Life of a Showgirl.” The star-studded video features actors Domhnall Gleeson and Cillian Murphy, television host Graham Norton, and musician Lewis Capaldi.

Swift directed the video herself. The visual explores themes of loneliness and emotional disconnection, opening with a nostalgic 1990s-style commercial for a fictional cleaning product called “Opalite.” In the scene, a lonely housewife watches the ad, imagining herself as a beauty queen.

Throughout the story, the characters seek comfort in symbolic objects: Swift’s character brings a stone as her “date” to a bar, while Domhnall Gleeson’s character carries around a cactus. Eventually, the two find each other — a metaphor for overcoming isolation and finding genuine connection.

Inspired by The Graham Norton Show

According to Swift, the idea for the video was born during her recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show. During the broadcast, Domhnall Gleeson jokingly mentioned that he would love to appear in one of her music videos. Swift was instantly inspired and sent him a script just a week later.

She then invited the rest of the show’s guests — including Graham Norton himself — to join the project. As a result, the video also features Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Lewis Capaldi. Swift described the experience as “a school group project for adults,” with everyone enthusiastically embracing a trip back to the 1990s.

The meaning behind “Opalite”

In “Opalite,” Swift reflects on love after heartbreak and emotional setbacks. The song is widely believed to reference her public relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce. The title itself carries personal significance: Swift has shared that she loved opals as a child, and the gemstone is also Kelce’s birthstone.

In an interview with Hits Radio, Swift explained:

“‘Opalite’ is about forgiving yourself for something that didn’t turn out the way you wanted. It’s about giving yourself permission not to overthink everything or feel pressured to stay with the first person you ever loved.”

About the album

“The Life of a Showgirl” was released on October 3 and features 12 tracks, including one collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter. The album was recorded during the European leg of “The Eras Tour.”

For this project, Swift reunited with producers Max Martin and Shellback, known for past hits such as “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “22.” Notably, this marks one of her first major releases in years without longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff.

In October, special theatrical screenings accompanied the album’s release. The film featured behind-the-scenes footage, lyric visuals, and multiple showings of the single “The Fate of Ophelia.” Fans continued the tradition established during “The Eras Tour” screenings — dancing right in the cinema aisles.