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Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ Video Turns Croydon Mall Into Pop Pilgrimage

Swift's self-directed clip draws crowds to Whitgift Centre following a secretive London shoot.

Overview

  • - The star-studded video features Graham Norton, Domhnall Gleeson, Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith and Lewis Capaldi, reuniting the lineup from Swift’s October Graham Norton Show appearance.
  • - Norton says the concept hit Swift “in a blinding flash” on his show’s sofa, adding that she wrote, storyboarded and directed the production.
  • - Principal filming took place in late November at Croydon’s Whitgift Centre and other London locations with additional U.S. shots, and participants kept the project under wraps until release.
  • - The clip debuted Feb. 6 as a Spotify and Apple Music exclusive before a wider YouTube rollout over the weekend, quickly drawing millions of views.
  • - Fans have been flocking to Whitgift to recreate scenes as local buzz grows, and Official U.K. Singles Chart midweeks indicate “Opalite” is on course for a No. 1 debut.