Swifties erupted with excitement when they spotted Reputation (Taylor Swift’s Version) during the penultimate episode of The Handmaid’s Tale‘s final season. Almost immediately, speculation began swirling—did Taylor Swift herself make an undercover cameo in the show?
Fans were on high alert, searching for clues about the pop star’s possible appearance.
Was SHE in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’?
Unfortunately for fans, Elisabeth Moss, who stars in the series, confirmed that Swift did not make a secret appearance. “Of course it’s not. Of course it’s not her. Oh my God, that’s hilarious. I love that idea, though,” Moss said in an interview with TVLine published on May 23.
“This is why, one of the reasons we were so excited about this moment, just the fan engagement on Handmaid’s is so intense, and marrying that with the Swifties is like, Jesus Christ. It’s so fun!” she continued, “So no, I’m afraid that’s not Taylor. She’s pretty busy. I feel like if she was going to come do our show, we would’ve made sure we saw her face.”
Why Did Fans Think Taylor Swift Was in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’?
The speculation ignited when Moss’ character, June, launched a rebellion set to the powerful tones of Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” Viewers quickly noticed that one of the figures behind June had an eerily familiar gait.
“I swear to God when I watched the episode I had a brief thought, ‘was that Taylor Swift?’ but then immediately dismissed it. Now I’m starting to think it isn’t just my TS brain rot,” one fan shared on Reddit.
Another user chimed in, “Similar height/build, similar strut. Swift, are you going to make me watch Handmaid’s Tale?” Adding further fuel to the fire, other Swifties pointed out that Moss and some of her costars attended Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto at the end of 2024.
“I’ll clear up that incredibly astute observation. A lot of us went to the Eras Tour in November in Toronto, which is partially why Taylor was very top of mind for me,” she explained. “Also, Reputation came out at a really, I think it was Season 4, and we were obsessed with that album on set as a cast. It’s been a long mutual love affair between her and a lot of our cast. I mean,
Josh Charles was in her music video …”
Elisabeth Moss Wanted to Use Taylor Swift’s Music in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ for Years
Fans couldn’t contain their delight at hearing one of Swift’s songs featured in the Hulu
series, and Moss revealed that she’s been eager to include Swift’s music for years. It was simply a matter of finding the right moment.
“I’ve been wanting to use a Taylor song for many years on the show and we finally found the perfect spot for a track from her, and I’m so glad we waited because there could not be a more perfect song for a more perfect moment,” Moss said. “Taylor has been such an inspiration to me personally. As a Swiftie myself, and I think I can speak for costar Yvonne Strahovski and our entire cast as well, who are all Swifties, it’s such an honor to be able to use her music in the final episodes of our show.”