The Complete Guide to Taylor Swift’s Acting Career, from ‘CSI’ to ‘Cats’
Taylor Swift has showcased her acting skills in numerous music videos. Additionally, she has ventured into full-fledged films and television series multiple times throughout her career. Moreover, acting is something Swift has pursued since a young age. Before gaining fame as a successful singer-songwriter, she honed her craft in musical theater. A childhood friend even shared images from her early performance in “Grease.”
“I started out doing musical theater as a kid,” Swift told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe . “It’s what made me fall in love with performing as a medium.”
Swift’s love for the stage dates back to her childhood, and she appreciates the way the changing sets transport the audience to another world. She even harbored the dream of appearing in a Broadway musical. Despite her iconic role in the musical film “Cats,” it seems her Broadway aspirations have not materialized yet. With her Eras tour and the recent announcement of her new album dropping on April 19 titled The Tortured Poets Department, it appears that this dream may have to wait. Her busy schedule allows for limited time to pursue a Broadway role. Since 2009, Swift has taken up nine acting roles, and for the time being, we’ll have to appreciate those. Let’s delve into every Taylor Swift acting role to date.
1 of 9
‘CSI’ (2009)
CBS
The scene “Turn, Turn, Turn” features Swift dead in a motel parking lot. With her dark hair, lip piercing, and combat boots, she looks entirely different from the pop star we are accustomed to. Later in the episode, a series of flashbacks reveal details of her character’s demise. Swift shared with Vanessa Grigoriadis on the Infamous podcast the intricate story behind her character— desperately seeking her parents’ love and acceptance.
Stream it on Paramount+
3 of 9
Swift plays Felicia Miller in this romantic comedy film that follows the interconnected stories of a group of people as they deal with the relatable struggles of Valentine’s Day. The film sees Swift showcase some hilariously awkward dance moves and boasts a star-studded cast that also includes Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Emma Roberts, and Julia Roberts — wow!
Rent it on YouTube
6 of 9
Swift’s appearance in “The Giver” is brief, but it’s a pivotal moment in the dystopian film based on the 1993 Lois Lowry young adult novel of the same name. “The Giver” is about a future society where pain has been eradicated thanks to a religion/movement called “Sameness” — but so too has emotional depth. Swift plays Rosemary, the original chosen one who is tasked with saving all of humanity — yeah, that tracks.
Stream it on Pluto TV
9 of 9
Swift sets the film in motion with her brief cameo at the beginning. In the shocking and much-memed scene, Swift is about to reveal crucial clues to Harold (John David Washington) and Burt (Christian Bale) when she’s pushed into oncoming traffic by a mysterious figure, run over and killed. She did get to show off her pipes before her death, however, and Bale even said her voice gave him goosebumps on set.
Stream it on Max
READ MORE: 14 Sports-Themed Rom-Coms If You Love Following Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship
Enjoy Country Music?
Sign up for daily stories delivered straight to your inbox.