“I didn’t even know who Taylor Swift was”

A man appeared in the new music video of Taylor Swift he claimed he had no idea who the global superstar was. It’s about Barrie Reynoldswho appeared in the video for Swift’s song “Opalite”, which also brought together several celebrities including Lewis Capaldi and Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson.

The 83-year-old said his nieces, Millie and Francesca, were “very surprised” when they found out he would appear in the video. But even though Swift was one of the most influential artists in the world, she told them: “I’m afraid I have no idea who he is“.

Reynolds works with an acting and modeling agency. He told BBC Radio Kent: “I was told I had to be in north London by seven in the morning and I said there were no trains, so they sent me a taxi.” He said he only found out who Swift was after reading about her tour in the newspaper before the assignment. He was allowed to have his picture taken with her at the end of filming and said he called her “Niftie Swiftie”, in reference to her speed at dancing.

The video for “Opalite” is a surreal one inspired by the eighties which tells the story of a lonely woman who uses a magical spray to improve her life and find love with another loner, played by Gleeson. Towards the end of the video, the couple dances together in a competition, with Reynolds appearing as one of the judges. “This particular song was very catchy, even though I gave it a zero!”.

Describing her as “very kind and compassionate”, he praised Swift for chatting with everyone involved in the video, but admitted that “security was very serious”.