This Midnights mastermind has a new squad.
Taylor Swift's 10th album arrived, very fittingly, at midnight on Oct. 21, followed by seven bonus tracks at 3 a.m. While she wrote one song solo ("Vigilante S--t"), she collaborated on several with her Folklorian friends Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, as well as one with boyfriend and muse Joe Alwyn. But those weren't the only stars she tapped for her sleepless nights album.
The self-reflective "Anti-Hero" music video features actors Mike Birbiglia, John Early and Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Swift's adult sons and daughter-in-law, making mayhem at her funeral.
And as Swift revealed on TikTok ahead of its release, Lana Del Rey lent her ethereal talents to "Snow on the Beach," which Swift described as being about "falling in love with someone at the same time as they're falling in love with you, in this sort of in this cataclysmic, faded moment where you realize someone feels exactly the same way that you feel, at the same moment."
But the Grammy winner also had a few tricks up her bejeweled sleeve for Midnights, including surprise song credits for brother Austin Swift, All Too Well short film star Dylan O'Brien and longtime friend Zoe Kravitz.
Keep reading to see which celebs were involved in the making of Midnights.
Her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn contributed to the album under his pen name William Bowery, credited as a songwriter on "Sweet Nothing." The track is about finding solace in his love, as she sings, "I found myself a-running home to your sweet nothings / Outside they're push and shoving / You're in the kitchen hummin' / All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing."
Swift's collaborator for more than a decade, Antonoff was her right hand on Midnights, producing and co-writing most of the songs.
"I couldn't be happier that my co pilot on this adventure was @jackantonoff. He's my friend for life (presumptuous I know but I stand by it)," Swift wrote on Instagram, before noting what makes this record special to them: "this is our first album we've done with just the two of us as main collaborators."
"Always have to remember things aren't necessarily how they seem," Aaron Dessner cryptically tweeted on Oct. 18 after fans noticed the Folklore and Evermore collaborator didn't have a writing credit on any of the original Midnights tracks. However, Swift later revealed he worked on several of the 3 a.m. bonus songs, including "The Great War," "High Infidelity" and "Would've, Could've, Should've."
The High Fidelity actress—who was in the same quarantine bubble as Swift back in 2020—has songwriting credits on the opener "Lavender Haze," along with Swift, Antonoff, Mark Anthony Spears, Jahaan Akil Sweet and Sam Dew.
Lana Del Rey contributed as both a co-writer and vocalist on the dreamy "Snow on the Beach."
As Swift put it in one clip, "The fact that I get to exist at the same time as her is an honor and a privilege and the fact that she would be so generous as to collaborate with us on this song is something I'm gonna be grateful for for life."
The real question here is how exactly did Swift's brother Austin Swift contribute to her track "Question... ?" The song credits list him as a contributor for "Unknown, Other" on the song, which, according to Rolling Stone, sampled her own 1989 song "Out of the Woods."
Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the physical copy of the album credits Austin Swift for providing "crowd applause" on the jam.
The Teen Wolf actor also mysteriously received an "Unknown, Other" credit on "Question... ?" which the physical copy reveals as "crowd applause." Meanwhile, his involvement in "Snow on the Beach" is more instrumental: He's listed as a drummer on the Lana Del Rey track.
Mary Elizabeth Ellis plays Swift's murderous daughter-in-law in the "Anti-Hero" music video, wearing one of the artist's Fearless dresses to her funeral. It brings her lyrics to life: "I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money / She thinks I left them in the will / The family gathers 'round and reads it / And then someone screams out / 'She's laughing up at us from hell!'"
Ellis previously acted in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Licorice Pizza with HAIM (more on that later) and, fittingly, Masterminds.
The stand-up comedian, who has appeared in Billions and Don't Think Twice, portrays one of Swift's greedy sons in "Anti-Hero."
The Search Party actor also hilariously plays one of Swift's grown sons in "Anti-Hero," rocking some headphones and a colorful bomber jacket at Swift's hectic funeral onscreen.
"Watch my nightmare scenarios and intrusive thoughts play out in real time," Swift teased, "with some help from the excellent @birbigs, @bejohnce, and @maryelizabethellis who fabulously portray… get ready for it… my grown sons and daughter in law?"
Kravitz is not the only Big Little Lies actress involved in Midnights. Laura Dern appeared as the step mother character in the "Bejeweled" music video.
Sisters Alana, Danielle and Este Haim (of the band HAIM) were featured as step sisters in the "Bejeweled" music video, after recently collaborating on Evermore's "no body, no crime" and opening for Swift's 1989 tour.
Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath had a cameo in the "Bejeweled" track as well. Fans think the collab was teased at the MTV VMAs in August: McGrath did Swift's makeup for the event, where the singer revealed her upcoming album on the way. The beauty expert captioned the dazzling looks, "SWIFT SEDUCTRESS" and "TAYLOR-MADE BEAUTY."
The burlesque dancer also appeared in the "Bejeweled" Midnights video with her martini routine.
Laith Ashley stars in the "Lavender Haze" music video, which was released in January 2023.
"You are magic," Ashley wrote to Swift on Instagram. "Thank you for letting me play a small part in your story."