Actor Dylan O’Brien appeared in 2021’s “All Too Well: The Short Film.”
The short film was based on the song “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift and also starred Sadie Sink. Swift not only wrote and performed the song, but she also wrote and directed the short film as well.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the “Teen Wolf” alum revealed that the “I Bet You Think About Me” singer reached out to him.
Dylan O’Brien Reveals Taylor Swift Sent Him A Text That Was Long, Funny, Thoughtful & Iconic
When asked if he had to audition for the part, O’Brien revealed that Swift actually had him in mind for the project.
“No, I guess that was something that Taylor had specifically thought of me for. So she reached out to me and asked if I wanted to do it,” he said. “And I, of course, said yes. It was automatic.”
“Yeah, I woke up one day with a text from my manager saying, ‘Taylor Swift’s manager is asking if she can reach out to you about a project.’ And I was like, ‘Whoa,’” he explained. “And then I gave her my number, and not even an hour later, I got this iconic f—ing text from her that was so long and so funny and really, really thoughtful. And it was a full pitch of what she wanted to do. It was awesome.”
Dylan O’Brien Breaks Down The ‘All Too Well’ Kitchen Scene
O’Brien revealed that none of the scenes in the film were actually scripted, including the huge fight between the couple that happens in the kitchen.
“Oh, none of it was scripted. None of it,” he explained. “Even the scene that ends up playing out wasn’t scripted. It’s funny because I proposed this idea, and then I ended up being the one to throw it all out.”
“But super early on, I said to Taylor, ‘For some of the bigger scenes, it might be a good idea to get some kind of template on a page in case we start getting bogged down on the day.’ Because we had to shoot it in two days,” he recalled. “And when we actually got to it, we just played out these scenes.”
“So it was a really fulfilling couple of days, and it was an amazing exercise,” he continued. “We were just fully in it at that point, and we played out these scenes, particularly the dramatic ones, like the breakup scene or the fight scene in the kitchen.”
“We fully breathed out these improvised moments in the scenes, and there was never a plan for the music to stop so the [kitchen fight] scene could play out,” he added. “That was actually Taylor’s call. After we did just one take of the kitchen scene, she came over and she was like, ‘This is it. I’m going to use this dialogue. We’re going to let this play. You’re right in the pocket. Let’s just do it again.’ And that is such a testament to her instincts as a director, which I found super impressive.”
Dylan O’Brien Can’t Hold Back His Praise For Taylor Swift (Director’s Version)
“She’s so confident in what she wants, and she comes in really prepped,” he added. “She also has such a specific vision. She’s so meticulous and intentional about everything, which wasn’t surprising at all. Seeing her instincts and confidence on set, she knew when she got it. So to make that [kitchen fight] call on the fly, she’s the s—.”
When asked if he thought Swift had the chops to make a full feature film, O’Brien replied that she’d make a “wonderful” director.
“I think she’d be wonderful if she’s inspired by it,” he said. “She’s a born and bred storyteller, and she’s got really good taste. So the tools are definitely there. It would just be a question of whether or not her heart would be in it because that’s a big commitment.”
Fans Are Still In Love With The ‘All Too Well’ Short Film
The “All Too Well” short film clocks in at almost fifteen minutes long, only slightly longer than “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)(Taylor’s Version)” that the “Red” singer released in 2021.
“Only a true artist can create a 10-minute musical masterpiece and somehow make it still feel too short,” one fan wrote before adding, “The original version is about a girl who’s heartbroken, and Taylor’s version is about a grown woman who’s talking about her past.”
Fans can take a look at the full short film in the video above!
