Swifties around the world are enjoying something of a Holy Week. Taylor Swift’s version of Red just dropped, everyone’s dunking on Jake Gyllenhaal, and the videos are rolling out. Last week there was the “All Too Well” short film starring Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink, and now there’s Blake Lively’s directorial debut—a music video for “I Bet You Think About Me.” (“(Taylor's Version) (From The Vault) (Official Video).” Parentheses... So Hot Right Now.)
One question, though—just a teeny, tiny inquiry: What’s Miles Teller doing here? Did he finally get vaccinated?
Lively, a longtime friend of Swift’s, directed the six-minute video for the “From the Vault” tracks—which finds Teller playing an ex of Swift’s who remains haunted by their relationship even on his wedding day. Swift stars as the unruliest of wedding guests, going so far as to smash the cake in a petty feat of “Before He Cheats” proportions.
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Teller’s appearance in the video, however, is a bit surprising, given recent reports about his alleged refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
In September, Daily Mail reported that production on The Offer—a Paramount+ limited series about the making of The Godfather in which Teller replaced Armie Hammer—had shut down after Teller, who allegedly refused the COVID-19 vaccine, tested positive on set.
“Miles Teller is not vaccinated. He wouldn’t even get the test,” Daily Mail reported, citing an on-set source. “Now he’s brought the virus to the set and the whole set had to shut down.” The actor’s rep told the tabloid, “Your facts are incorrect” but did not elaborate.
The Hollywood Reporter referenced the shut-down in a feature published weeks later, but the wording was conspicuously creative and avoided naming which actor had tested positive.
“That positive person was publicly identified as a series star who was said to be unvaccinated,” the article states. “Sources tell THR that the stoppage resulted in a $6 million loss for the limited series about the making of The Godfather. (A Paramount+ rep counters that the figure was below $6 million.)”
Representatives for Teller and Swift did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment regarding the actor’s vaccination status and COVID protocols on the music video set.
Update: On Monday night Teller tweeted that he is vaccinated but did not specify whether it occurred before or after the aforementioned controversy.
