Domhnall Gleeson joins Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” video with Cillian Murphy

Taylor Swift released a new music video for “Opalite” on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, leaning into a retro infomercial aesthetic and a deliberately oddball storyline that pairs loneliness with slapstick romance. The video arrives as “Opalite” continues to gain traction as a recent single, and it’s instantly notable for its cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, and Lewis Capaldi all appear in the project.

The result is a glossy, film-shot vignette that plays like late-night TV channel surfing—part faux ad, part surreal comedy, part dance-floor payoff—built around the idea that companionship can be manufactured, purchased, or, at least for three minutes, convincingly staged.

“Opalite” video: the cast and the premise

The video’s opening leans hard into throwback advertising language: a mock product pitch sells “Opalite” as a quick fix for isolation and low mood. Swift’s character is introduced as a lonely figure whose closest companion is a gray rock she treats like a best friend.

Gleeson plays a parallel “lonely boy” character with his own absurd attachment—an affectionate cactus storyline that mirrors Swift’s rock relationship. Their two worlds collide after the product’s “one spritz” promise sends them stumbling into each other’s orbit.

Cameos are woven in as heightened supporting characters rather than blink-and-miss Easter eggs. Murphy and Lee appear in stylized roles that fit the video’s exaggerated tone, while Capaldi’s appearance taps the same wink-at-the-camera energy.

The unexpected origin story behind the concept

Swift has tied the concept to a specific moment: an October 2025 talk-show appearance that featured her alongside several of the people who later show up in the video. The idea, as she has described it, came from the group chemistry and the comedic contrast of very different personalities sharing the same couch—then spiraled into a script that could hold them all.

That “written fast, executed big” feel shows in the final cut. The narrative doesn’t aim for realism; it aims for a heightened emotional logic that matches infomercial promises—awkwardness, hope, and sudden confidence presented as something you can order and apply.

Why “opalite” is more than a title

The word “opalite” is doing double duty: it’s a shiny hook for the faux product and a metaphor for the song’s emotional thesis. Opalite is commonly described as a man-made opal-like material—an idea the video turns into a theme: happiness and connection can feel artificial at first, but still real in impact.

The visuals underline that ambiguity. The rock “friend” looks ridiculous until it becomes oddly sympathetic; the cactus romance is equally silly until the two storylines converge into something warmer than the joke suggests.

First-night moments that viewers are talking about

Two sequences are set up as the video’s anchors: the commercial parody that establishes the “Opalite” pitch, and the climactic dance section that pays off the awkward-romance setup. The dance scene is staged like a low-stakes competition, with a judge figure and deliberately uncomfortable moves that feel intentionally unpolished—more community-theater earnest than pop-video perfection.

Key takeaways:

• A full-commitment infomercial parody frames the entire story

• Swift and Gleeson play parallel loners with “pet” objects (a rock and a cactus)

• The payoff is a dance-floor finale that treats awkwardness as the point

Release timing and what’s next

The “Opalite” video premiered Friday morning, Feb. 6, 2026, on major music video services, with a broader release slated for Sunday, Feb. 8 at 8:00 a.m. ET on a mainstream video platform. The staggered rollout has pushed fans to chase different versions and formats—an increasingly common pattern as music releases get optimized for different audiences and viewing habits.

For Swift, the strategy also keeps the spotlight moving: the initial premiere creates the first wave of discussion, while the wider drop sets up a second spike in attention over the weekend—useful momentum as “Opalite” competes for sustained chart presence.

Sources consulted: People; Variety; Billboard; ABC News