Taylor Swift debuts 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in 'Handmaid's Tale'

USA Today

20-05-2025

Taylor Swift debuts 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in 'Handmaid's Tale'
I'm sorry the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she's premiering "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" on a recent episode of "The Handmaid's Tale."
In the midst of a content drought, Taylor Swift rose up from the dead for "Execution," Episode 9 of Season 6 of the Hulu series, which aired on May 19.
During the opening credits, the haunting organ notes for the "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" track plays for two minutes and 16 seconds. We checked it once, then we checked it twice. The red-robed heroines of Gilead walked in unison down a street after a night of mayhem with sirens blaring in the background. Swift's anthemic tune played underneath a flurry of gunshots for the first verse, first chorus, second verse and ending "Look What You Made Me Do" repetitions. Mark it in red, underlined.
More: What Taylor Swift's trademark applications can tell fans about a 'Reputation' rerelease.
Like anything involving Swift's highly anticipated re-release, the permission to use the song ignited social media fan pages. On Instagram, @thetorturedpoets may have summed it up best by posting the clip with the caption, "SCREAMS GUYS A LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO SNIPPET REP TV IS A THING ITS ALIVE ITS THERE OMG."
This isn't the first time the re-recorded version has been used commercially. In March 2024, Apple TV+ previewed the new version in the docuseries "The Dynasty: New England Patriots." Former wide receiver Danny Amendola talks about Tom Brady's comeback after "deflategate" as "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" plays. The hit track was also featured in the trailer for Amazon Prime's "Wilderness."
"Handmaid's" lead actress Elisabeth Moss, who plays June Osborne, told Billboard Magazine: "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 attended the penultimate Eras Tour stop in Toronto with co-star Bradley Whitford, who plays Commander Joseph Lawrence.
More: Taylor Swift wipes away tears during Toronto concert: 'It's not even the last show!'
"Taylor has been such an inspiration to me personally," Moss told Billboard. "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."
When is 'Reputation (Taylor's Version)' coming out?
So when could "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" drop? Fans have been mythologizing since Swift's São Paulo, Brazil stop in November 2023. But the most recent theory is that she may announce something if she attends the American Music Awards on May 26 in Las Vegas. Her team updated the "Shop" tab of her home page to include: "Apparel, Music, Accessories and Sale" to spell out "AMAS." And they marked down 12 items to 26% which fans thinks points to the 26th.
No official word on if the superstar will appear.
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