Domhnall Gleeson had the internet talking in February when Taylor Swift dropped the music video for her song “Opalite,” and the THE PAPER star had a starring role of his own. The song itself is about self-reflection and shaking off old habits, but the video takes a completely different route to get there, leaning into a retro, 1990s-style infomercial aesthetic packed with dance numbers from Gleeson and Swift. Fans of either star will find plenty to love, and when Gleeson stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 10, he finally explained how he landed the gig.

In the video, Gleeson plays a lonely young man whose only real companion is a pet cactus, until he sprays it with a product called Opalite and Swift’s character appears in his life as if by magic. What follows is a string of dates that swing between corny and genuinely sweet, all wrapped in that same nostalgic ’90s packaging.

The centerpiece of the whole video is a big dance sequence, with Gleeson and Swift matching in jumpsuits as they compete in a local dance competition. The in-video judges weren’t impressed, handing them straight zeroes, but real-world audiences felt very differently, Fallon included. He told Gleeson flat out that his dancing in the video was fantastic, delivering the compliment with a wide grin.

Gleeson was quick to admit it wasn’t exactly effortless. He only found out about the dance two days beforehand, and Swift’s choreographer, Mandy, spent an entire evening drilling him on the steps the night before filming. He called it a simple routine on paper, but one that took forever to nail down, joking that nobody truly understands sadness until they’ve watched a red-headed Irishman rehearsing deep into the night. Terrifying as it was in the moment, he said, it all came together in the end.

Peacock has released the official trailer for Season 2 of THE PAPER, confirming the workplace mockumentary’s return on September 9. The new season picks up with a notable development for fans invested in the show’s central will-they-won’t-they dynamic: Ned, played by Domhnall Gleeson, reveals in the trailer that he and Mare (Chelsea Frei) are officially dating, resolving one of Season 1’s most closely watched storylines.

Ned has also stepped into a new role at the fictional Toledo Truth Teller, taking over as editor. Season 2 sees the newsroom staff tackling two major investigations, a mysterious fire death and the aftermath of a tornado, all while chasing bigger journalism accolades for the paper.

The returning ensemble includes Sabrina Impacciatore, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Tim Key, Ramona Young, Eric Rahill, Duane Shepard Sr. and Oscar Nuñez. The trailer also introduces a run of guest stars joining the newsroom chaos, with Jon Lovitz and Lisa Gilroy featured prominently, alongside appearances from Andy Richter, Matt Braunger, Toks Olagundoye and Phil Hendrie.

With Ned and Mare’s relationship now out in the open and a fresh set of stories to chase, THE PAPER‘s second season looks set to expand both the personal and professional stakes for the Truth Teller team when it premieres this September.

Domhnall Gleeson has been one of the most compelling presences on television this year, and his recent appearance on the TV Topics couch only reinforced just how much thought and warmth he brings to his craft.

The Irish actor sat down for a genuinely enjoyable conversation centred on his standout work in THE PAPER, the acclaimed Peacock mockumentary that has won over critics and audiences alike since its debut in September 2025. Set in the same universe as THE OFFICE, the series follows the documentary crew as they train their cameras on the Toledo Truth Teller, a struggling Midwestern newspaper whose passionate new editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson, is determined to drag it back from the brink.

In the interview, Gleeson was refreshingly candid and characteristically charming as he opened up about what drew him to Ned and what it has been like inhabiting such a richly comic yet deeply human character. He touched on the particular joy of playing someone who is equal parts idealist and loveable goofball, and spoke warmly about the ensemble dynamic that gives the show so much of its texture and heart. Perhaps most delightfully, he shared what his famous father, Brendan Gleeson, made of the performance — always a talking point that Domhnall handles with easy good humour.

The romance brewing between Ned and Mare also came up, offering a glimpse into the emotional undercurrent that gives THE PAPER something to say beyond the laughs. It is the kind of interview that reminds you why this actor continues to be such a compelling figure to watch, both on screen and off.

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.