Taylor Swift approved the use of one of her songs in Sydney Sweeney‘s upcoming psychological thriller The Housemaid, a decision that surprised even the film’s director.
The approval was revealed by director Paul Feig, who spoke about the moment at the film’s Hollywood premiere. The movie closes with Swift‘s 2017 track I Did Something Bad playing over the end credits, a choice Feig admitted he never expected to be cleared.
Feig explained that placing a Taylor Swift song in a film requires direct approval from both the artist and her team. He said the track felt perfect for the ending but assumed it would be rejected. After showing Swift and her representatives the completed film, permission was granted.
“Well, that’s the thing; you want to put a Taylor song in your movie, but she and her company have to approve it,’ Feig told Deadline.
“So, we were tempting with it, and we were like, ‘It’s so perfect, but she’s never gonna clear this.’ Then we showed she and her people the movie, and she approved it. So, I guess she likes it. Thank you Taylor!'”
The decision drew added attention given Sweeney‘s personal connections. The actress is currently dating music executive Scooter Braun, who has had a long and public dispute with Swift following the sale of her master recordings.
Why Swift’s song mattered to the film
Sweeney, who plays a lead role in The Housemaid, has also spoken of how the song felt essential to the film’s conclusion.
She explained that when the cast first saw the ending with Swift‘s track in place, it immediately stood out as something that could not be replaced.
“It’s so perfect,” the Anyone But You actress told People. “And we were like, ‘We can’t lose this!’ We were like, ‘You have to keep this!”‘
Her co-star Amanda Seyfried recalled watching the film before the music clearance was fully confirmed and reacting with excitement when the song came on, highlighting the emotional impact Swift‘s music can have.
Swift has a history of contributing to iconic film soundtracks. Her songs have previously appeared in The Hunger Games, Fifty Shades Darker, Sing, and Letters to Juliet.
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