Global superstar Taylor Swift executed a remarkably covert operation last week, travelling 3,500 miles from the United States to the United Kingdom to film what's believed to be a Christmas-themed music video for her latest album.
The Secret Mission Unfolds
The 35-year-old singer reportedly flew by private jet from New Jersey to Hampshire, managing to completely avoid paparazzi during her entire week-long stay in the UK. This impressive feat was achieved through what sources describe as "military operation" levels of security planning.
An insider revealed to The Sun: "This video was shrouded in secrecy, with Taylor's security team working day and night to ensure she wasn't sighted at any point. But she is the most powerful woman in pop, so if she wants to go unseen, she'll make it happen."
London Locations and Celebrity Cameos
The filming took place across several London locations, including the partially-derelict Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, south London. The video reportedly features cameo appearances from singer Lewis Capaldi and actor Domhnall Gleeson, with Gleeson rumoured to be playing Swift's love interest in the childhood sweethearts narrative.
Filming commenced last Monday at the Mildmay Club in Stoke Newington, north London, where extras dressed in retro clothing were spotted alongside festive props including Christmas trees, glitter cannons and tinsel. Clever substitutions saw banana milkshake used for eggnog and grape juice standing in for expensive champagne.
The production then moved to Croydon's Whitgift Centre, where giant white screens were erected to prevent shoppers from catching glimpses of the action. Security measures were exceptionally tight, with cast members given numbers instead of names and being whisked between locations under protective screens and umbrellas.
Massive Budget and Creative Team
The music video is rumoured to have had an enormous £1 million budget, with hiring the shopping centre alone costing several hundred thousand pounds. To maintain secrecy, local shops were told filming was for an insurance commercial - "something suitably boring that wouldn't arouse suspicion."
Taylor Swift enlisted production company Merman, co-founded by Domhnall Gleeson's actress friend Sharon Horgan, to create what's described as having "a nostalgic feel, like Love Actually meets a John Lewis advert."
Additional scenes were shot at a studio in West London and a house on the city's outskirts. The footage is currently in post-production, with editing scheduled for completion before Christmas.
The track, titled Opalite from Swift's latest album The Life Of A Showgirl, is believed to be about her fiancé, American football player Travis Kelce, whose birthstone is opal. Swift previously commented on the song: "When we were writing to this really, like, infectious hooky track, opalite is a manmade opal, so I've always loved opals, my mom has always loved opals, kind of like our thing."
Opalite is expected to have a December release, potentially putting Swift in contention for the Christmas number one spot. The entire project was reportedly organised at the last minute, with plans only finalised about three weeks before filming began.
