What role does Cillian Murphy play in Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music video?
Taylor Swift is no stranger to convincing some of the world’s biggest A-listers to make cameos in her music videos.
The move has a long history when it comes to her back catalogue. After all, who can forget her 2014 “Bad Blood” video, which featured 16 members of her famous Girl Squad? Everyone from Gigi Hadid And Selena Gomez Unpleasant Cindy Crawford And Jessica Alba it all came out during the amazing clip.
Swift, 36, brought back that magic with a whole new cast of stars when she dropped the official music video for “Opalite,” the third track from her twelfth studio album, The life of a showgirlin February 2026.
Although the video is packed with celebrities, there is one star in particular: Cillian Murphy – has tongues wagging this time due to its subtle inclusion.
What role does Cillian Murphy play in the ‘Opalite’ music video?
Murphy’s role in the ‘Opalite’ has some fans scratching their heads, as it isn’t as obvious as some other cameos.
The Commencement star, 49, has actually been shot twice. First, he is the opening voice in the infomercial for the magical product Opalite.
“Hey buddy, why so down? Are you feeling dissatisfied in your life? Maybe you’re lacking connection in a friendship or a relationship. Maybe you’re giving more than you get back. What if I told you that, you could magically turn all that nonsense into happiness?” You can hear Murphy say in the ad.
He continues: “No more worry, no more frustration. Introducing… Opalite, the revolutionary solution to your problems. Just one spray and Opalite magically turns your problems into paradise. With the help of our state-of-the-art chemical potion, it works on friendships, couples, pets and colleagues.”
A photo of Murphy giving a thumbs up later appears in a giant wall print advertisement for Opalite.
Taylor Swift.
(Photo by Matt Crossick/PA Images via Getty Images)What other celebrities appear in the ‘Opalite’ video?
The Oppenheimer actor isn’t the only celebrity to grace the screen during ‘Opalite’. Murphy is joined by Graham Norton, Domhnall Gleeson, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith And Lewis Capaldi.
Gleeson, 42, portrays a character in a one-sided relationship with a cactus, who turns into Swift when he sprays it with the Opalite potion.
“Someone You Loved” singer Capaldi, 29, plays a mall photographer tasked with taking portrait photos of Swift and Gleeson, while talk show host Norton, 62, appears as a salesman selling the Opalite antidote, aptly named “Nope-alite.”
Meanwhile, Lee, 42, appears on TV as a singer, while Swift hangs out with her “rock” best friend and Turner-Smith, 39, plays an aerobic instructor that Swift and the “rock” work on.
Other notable cameos in “Opalite” include some dancers from Swift’s Eras Tour, such as Kameron Saunders as a dance jury member and Jan Ravnik in a commercial.
Graham Norton.
(Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)Why Did Taylor Swift Choose Graham Norton Guests to Appear on ‘Opalite’?
Swift revealed via her Instagram on February 6 that she came up with the idea to include them all while doing promo for her. The life of a showgirl album on The Graham Norton Show in October 2025. The stars who made cameos in ‘Opalite’ were also guests.
“I remember thinking I was ridiculously lucky with the group I was working with. Cillian Murphy, Domhnall Gleeson, Greta Lee, @JodieSmith and @LewisCapaldi,” she wrote. “These are all people whose work I’ve admired from afar. As we were all chatting on air, Domhnall made a light-hearted joke about wanting to be in one of my music videos. He’s Irish! He was joking! Except at that moment in the interview I was immediately struck by an *idea*. And so a week later he received an email script I’d written for the Opalite video, in which he starred.”
She continued: “I thought it would be wild if all our fellow guests on the Graham Norton show that night, including Graham himself, could be part of it too. It’s like a school group project, but for adults and it’s not compulsory. Much to my delight, everyone from the show has made the effort to travel back to the 90s with us and help with this video. You might even recognize some of the friendly faces from The Eras Tour”
What is the plot of Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music video?
Set in the 1990s, the fun and silly plot of the “Opalite” music video follows Swift’s one-sided friendship with her best friend, a rock. Gleeson’s character experiences a similar codependent dynamic with a cactus.
After being introduced to Opalite, a squirt potion that promises to turn “nonsense into happiness,” Swift’s “lonely woman” character is linked with Gleeson’s “lonely man” character and they embark on a series of dates with stereotypical ’90s vibes, like going to the mall and participating in a dance competition.
Taylor Swift’s music videos feature many memorable performances from famous men who took on the roles of her love interests. Over the years, the Grammy winner has enlisted many well-known actors to bring her visions to life, including Stephen Colletti, who starred in the 2008 music video for “White Horse.” Thank you! You […]
Swift has previously spoken about the meaning behind “Opalite,” saying it can be interpreted as a metaphor for deliberately seeking love and not letting go of past romances.
In October 2025, the singer opened up about the song’s symbolism and its connection to her fiancé. Travis Kelce in an interview with Capital FM.
“Travis’ birthstone is an opal, so I’ve always been fixated on that. I’ve always loved that stone,” she explained at the time. “I thought it was a cool metaphor. [Opalite is] a man-made opal, and luck can also be man-made. So that’s kind of what the song is about, kind of a juxtaposition of the two.
