Dakota Johnson has confirmed her appearance in Taylor Swift’s upcoming “Patient Zero” music video, and she is effusive about the collaboration. The actress addressed the project at the “Verity” red carpet premiere in London on Thursday, just hours after Swift shared a 13-second clip featuring Johnson alongside another woman and a man.
Fans are left guessing about the other two performers, since Swift has not disclosed their names yet. What is certain is that Johnson is among the stars taking part, and she appears pleased to be there.
Johnson on Working With Friends
At the premiere, Johnson said the experience was joyful because she knows Swift well. She positioned the relationship as a mutual respect between two creative minds.
“Working with your friends is like the most fun thing on the planet because we’ve known each other for so long, we respect each other’s creative minds, and to be able to work alongside her and support and assist and be a person whom she tells what to do is wonderful.”
Later on the Fangirl Nation podcast hosted by Ambar Lee and Leah Briars, she repeated the sentiment and admitted she normally advises against working with friends.
“Normally I would say ‘Don’t work with your friends,’ but we work really well together,” Johnson said. “It was so fun. So fun. It was the best. We just had the best time.”
A Long Friendship
The two have been close for years, and their bond was on full display this summer when Johnson showed up at Madison Square Garden to take part in Swift’s star-studded wedding.
Before Sunday’s MTV VMAs, where Swift will unveil the full clip, a short preview has already arrived. It is a 13-second sneak peek that shows fans her collaboration with Johnson for the first time.
The Album Behind It
The announcement for the single came on Tuesday, with “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore” following on Wednesday. That expanded album now has four additional songs: “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding”, and “Babylon.”. It arrives on Friday, with preorder and saves already active.
Swift wrote about the album’s origins on social media. She thanked fans for helping make “The Life of a Showgirl” one of the biggest debuts in history.
“I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album,” “About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing,” Swift said. “Really, we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs.” Something that completely blew her mind was that she had given ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ the biggest first week for an album in history.
She closed by thanking fans directly.
“I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made. ‘The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore’ including four new songs, is out on Friday and available to preorder and save now.”
The Songs
Here is the lineup of new tracks on the encore:
- “Patient Zero”
- “Cleveland!”
- “Pink Clouding”
- “Babylon”
The VMAs Reveal
Sunday marks the premiere of the full “Patient Zero” music video during the MTV VMAs, which is when viewers will finally grasp the complete context behind the teaser’s puzzling setup.
Johnson’s presence in the video adds another layer to the announcement. Her endorsement of the collaboration suggests the project is personal, and she seems committed to supporting Swift’s creative vision.
What We Know So Far
The 13-second clip shows Johnson flanked by another woman and a man, but Swift has not named them. The album is out Friday, and the video arrives Sunday.
Fans currently have a tease, an album announcement and Johnson’s eagerness to share more. Sunday’s VMAs will settle what remains unknown.
Our View
Johnson’s insistence that working with friends is “the most fun thing on the planet” is charmingly earnest, especially after her earlier warning that people usually advise against it. She is committed to the project, and her excitement is contagious.
The album is out Friday, and the video arrives Sunday.
Source material: “Dakota Johnson on Being in Taylor Swift’s ‘Patient Zero’ Music Video: ‘We Respect Each Other’s Creative Minds’,” Variety.
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