Pop
Taylor Swift, who? Kent pensioner 'had no idea' who the pop idol was before appearing in Opalite music video
A Kent man drafted into Taylor Swift’s music video has said he didn’t know who the global icon was at the time of filming.
An 83‑year‑old man from Kent has said he was unaware of Taylor Swift’s global fame before being cast in the singer’s Opalite music video.
Barrie Reynolds, from Capel‑le‑Ferne, appears as a judge in the video for Opalite, the second single from Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl. The shoot also included Lewis Capaldi, Domhnall Gleeson and a voice cameo from Cillian Murphy.
Reynolds told BBC Radio Kent that his granddaughters were stunned when they learned he would be sharing screen time with Swift.
He said: “They were very surprised."
Reynolds admitted he didn’t recognise the star at all, adding: “I’m afraid I have no idea who she was.”
He secured the part through an acting and modelling agency and was driven to the north London set after explaining he couldn’t reach the 7am call time by train.
He recalled: “I was told I needed to be in north London for 7am and I said there was no trains, so they sent a taxi for me instead."
Reynolds said he only connected the name after reading about Swift’s tour shortly before filming.
At the end of the shoot, he was allowed a photo with her and jokingly called her “Niftie Swiftie”, a nickname he said came from “her speed when dancing”.
He appears during the video’s dance‑contest sequence, holding up a scorecard.
He said: “This particular song was very catchy, even though I scored her a zero!”
Reynolds described Swift as “so kind and very compassionate” and said she made an effort to speak to everyone on set.
He added that “security was very hot” throughout the production.
