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.
Monaghan`s own @ardalohanlon is a busy man these days!
Ardal’s new novel A PLOT TO DIE FOR is almost here and Ardal is taking it on the road. Join him live at bookshops and festivals across the UK this May and September.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
THE MUMMY is coming to theaters Fri Apr 17.
Lee Cronin—the visionary behind THE HOLE IN THE GROUND and EVIL DEAD RISE—is back with an audacious, twisted retelling that`s already getting rave reviews. A young girl vanishes for eight years. When she finally returns, what should be a joyful reunion becomes a living nightmare.
Watch trailer now at irishfilmtv.com.
SNL UK IS BACK AND WE`RE LIVING FOR IT 🚨✨
Nicola Coughlan (yes, THAT Nicola Coughlan) is hosting on April 25th with the absolute legends that are @foofighters taking the stage 🎸
DERRY GIRLS fans, BRIDGERTON obsessives, this is your moment!
More Nicola at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton is stepping into uncharted territory with THE NEIGHBOURHOOD—an ITV gameshow that`s about to flip the reality TV script entirely.
What happens when you put everyday people in extraordinary circumstances and ask them to compete against their neighbors for serious money?
More at irishfilmtv.com.
17 years old. A trip to Holland. Two Irish lads with big dreams and zero idea what was coming.
That`s where Ciarán Hinds and Liam Neeson bonded—and it changed everything. 🎬
In a beautiful moment on the Late Late Show, Hinds reflected on the power of those formative years—and why family, not accolades, is what truly matters. 💫
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
72 hours. One decision. Everything on the line.
Andrew Scott is stepping into one of WWII`s most untold stories in the upcoming film PRESSURE—where a meteorologist`s weather forecast became the most consequential prediction in history.
Watch new trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 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.
