Taylor Swift Unveils “Patient Zero” Video at 2026 VMAs
Taylor Swift debuted the music video for “Patient Zero” during the 2026 MTV VMAs. The clip, which Swift directed, features Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell and was shot by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Its gothic narrative moves between a snowy cemetery and a decaying relationship, with Swift appearing as a guiding figure before switching roles with Johnson.
The video accompanies a track on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, a deluxe version that expands the original twelve-song tracklist with four more cuts. Swift cut those additions in Sweden alongside Max Martin and Shellback, following the album's record-setting first week.
Swift directed the clip, which pairs Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell and uses Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. It moves through a snow-covered graveyard and a deteriorating romance, with Swift guiding Johnson before their roles reverse. Swift said she drew on eerie ghost-story, crime, and psychological-suspense traditions, and that a house symbolized a relationship's emotional chill.
The premiere may boost streaming and sales for the deluxe album, especially among Swift's fans and VMA viewers. Its cinematic cast and gothic themes