Taylor Swift stars as Cinderella in ‘Bejeweled’ video featuring Haim sisters, Laura Dern and more
Taylor Swift has shared the second music video from ‘Midnights’, reinventing the classic Cinderella story for ‘Bejeweled’.
The self-directed clip stars Swift as Cinderella – or as she’s introduced in a title card, House Wench Taylor. Jurassic Park actress Laura Dern stars as her evil Stepmommy, while the Haim sisters appear as her similarly bratty daughters: Lady Este (who “wants the title”), Lady Danielle (who “wants the ring”) and Lady Alana (who “wants the d***”).
Like the age-old folktale, the video for ‘Bejeweled’ revolves around a ball, where one lucky maiden will be swept up by a charming prince. However, as Lady Danielle explains: “Instead of just showing up at the ball looking hot, you have to enter a talent competition – and if you win, you get the keys to your own castle! And a marriage proposal from the prince!”
House Wench Taylor is forbidden from attending the ball, with Dern’s character saying that “even if she were allowed to go – which she is not – the prince would never have anything to do with that little harlot again” because “he tired of her quite quickly, didn’t he? Or should I say… Swiftly?”
“Lest we forget,” Dern says to her tortured stepdaughter, “you’ve been exiled here. You’re not going anywhere, anytime soon – certainly not the ball.”
As the stepsisters and their mum walk off to “get many, many jewels”, House Wench Taylor gives a sly smile to the camera. She then transforms into a jewel-studded beauty, strutting down a catwalk of diamonds as she makes her way into a suitably lavish ballroom.
After she and Dita Von Teese (as the Fairy Goddess) dance sensually in giant martini glasses, Swifterella leads a theatrical dance routine for an enamoured audience – including her enraged stepsisters, Queen Pat (played by Par McGrath) and Prince Jack (played by ‘Midnights’ collaborator Jack Antonoff). It’s shown through title cards that Prince Jack proposed to Swifterella, but was promptly ghosted.
Have a look at the video for ‘Bejeweled’ below:
Announcing the video on Instagram earlier today, Swift wrote that her ‘Bejeweled’ video is “wild, whimsical and created SPECIFICALLY for you, my beloved fans who have paved this shimmering path”.
‘Midnights’ arrived at the titular hour last Friday (October 21), with a deluxe edition landing at 3am. Already the fastest-selling record of 2022, it’s Swift’s 10th studio album, following her 2020 lockdown albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, as well as last year’s re-recorded versions of ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’.
In a four-star review, NME’s Hannah Mylrea wrote that “the country roots [Swift] revisited on her re-recorded albums is nowhere to be found [on ‘Midnights’], and folk influences of her lockdown projects are largely absent. Instead she spins these new stories through sleek synth-pop, in common with ‘1989’ or ‘Lover’, but the razor-sharp production of these albums is more subtle this time around.”
‘Bejeweled’ is the album’s second track to receive a video, following ‘Anti-Hero’ last Saturday (October 22). Every single track will be given the “music movie” treatment, as Swift announced last week, with other stars in them including actors Laith Ashley, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, John Early and Mike Birbiglia.
Last week, Swift confirmed that a UK tour in support of ‘Midnights’ will be announced soon. Fans who pre-ordered the album will be able to access an exclusive pre-sale for tickets.
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Ellie Robinson
NME
