Taylor Swift’s latest music video arrived on streaming platforms Friday afternoon, bringing with it an unexpectedly Irish flavor that has fans buzzing about the transatlantic collaboration. The singer tapped Domhnall Gleeson to star opposite her in the visual for OPALITE, a nearly six-minute cinematic piece that Swift herself directed, with the two playing archetypal characters simply known as “lonely woman” and “lonely man.” The chemistry between Swift and the Irish actor unfolds against a narrative backdrop that’s already generating significant attention, though perhaps not as much as the surprise appearances woven throughout the production.
Sharp-eyed fans began piecing together the puzzle hours before the official release when promotional billboards surfaced on social media, sparking immediate speculation about Gleeson’s involvement. The confirmation came as the video dropped on Apple Music and Spotify, revealing not just the HARRY POTTER and STAR WARS actor but also cameos from fellow Irish luminaries Cillian Murphy and Graham Norton.
The convergence of these Irish talents had actually been foreshadowed back in October when a clip from THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW showed Swift, Gleeson, and the Oscar-winning Cork actor Murphy appearing together, though at the time no one quite connected the dots to what was brewing behind the scenes.
OPALITE marks the second single from THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL, Swift’s record-breaking album that dropped October 3rd and continues to dominate charts worldwide. The song carries personal significance for the pop superstar, as she’s revealed it was written about her fiancé, NFL player Travis Kelce, whose birthstone happens to be opal. That intimate detail adds another layer to the visual storytelling, transforming what could have been just another music video into something more confessional and tender. The Irish connection runs deeper than just the casting choices, too.
Swift brought her massive Eras Tour to Dublin in June 2024, playing three completely sold-out shows at the Aviva Stadium, cementing her relationship with Irish audiences and perhaps planting the seeds for these creative collaborations that would bear fruit months later in this visually striking piece of work that brings together talent from both sides of the Atlantic.
🎬 THE YEAR OF ÉANNA HARDWICKE 🎬
From SAIPAN to THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD to NO ORDINARY HEIST—this is the actor`s defining moment. An IFTA winner. A West End star. Now a desperate man caught in a heist like no other.
In cinemas THIS WEEK: a gripping true story of the infamous Northern Bank robbery. £26.5 million. Two families held hostage. No way out.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
BELFAST`s Jamie Dornan will host SNL UK this weekend.
Dornan, known for his role in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and THE TOURIST, will front the program alongside Brit-award winning band Wolf Alice.
The show marks the first British incarnation of the sketch series, which was created by Lorne Michaels and first launched in the US in 1975.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
In a brand-new interview, OUTLANDER star/executive producer, Caitríona Balfe, discusses THAT pivotal Season 8, Episode 3 scene where Claire saves a baby.
A must-watch for OUTLANDER fans!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
✨ Brendan Gleeson just reminded us why he`s one of the greats ✨
Yesterday at the London Standard Theatre Awards, Gleeson took the night for his performance in THE WEIR—and honestly? there`s no one else who could have done it quite like him.
This is an actor who doesn`t perform. he breathes into the role. he becomes it. soul-deep, nuanced, the kind of characterisation that makes you forget you`re watching acting at all.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
* THE IMMORTAL MAN now on Netflix *
This is not a spinoff. This is not a revival. This is Tommy Shelby`s final reckoning—the definitive end to one of the most captivating characters television has ever created.
The gypsy king`s last move is being made. Are you ready?
More PEAKY at irishfilmtv.com.
Fresh from his @iftaacademy LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Ciaran Hinds returns to Irish theatres in MIDWINTER BREAK.
Hinds and co-star, Leslie Mansville, deliver amazing performances - they move through this film with a kind of choreographed delicacy, two people who have built their relationship on a foundation of interlocking vulnerabilities and mutual evasions. In theatres tomorrow, Mar 20.
More info at irishfilmtv.com.
The best characters aren`t heroes. they`re human.
Andrew Scott doesn`t do safe. from the priest in FLEABAG to tom ripley`s calculated desperation, he chooses roles that make you uncomfortable—and that`s exactly why you can`t look away.
In a new @sxsw interview, Scott gets candid about his most famous roles!
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Happy St. Patrick`s day everyone!☘️
Forget the green beer for a minute and grab your coziest blanket and dive into some of the best Irish movies to watch on St. Patrick`s Day 🎬✨
From epic adventures to heartfelt dramas, there`s something for everyone. Which one`s making your watchlist? 🍿
More at irishfilmtv.com.
She swept the Globes. She swept the BAFTAs. And last night, Jessie Buckley swept the Oscars — becoming the first Irish woman in 98 years of Academy history to win Best Actress 🍀
For a girl from Killarney who started on a TV talent show, this wasn`t just a win. It was a coronation.
More Jessie Buckley Oscar glory at irishfilmtv.com.
