ET breaks down all the behind-the-scenes details from the epic video!
Oh, look what you made us do…
Another deep dive into Taylor Swift's new music video! We already uncovered all of the secret messages in "Look What You Made Me Do," and gave our take on whether the pop star is playing the villain or the victim in the vid, but now we're breaking down all the behind-the-scenes details. From the total cost of all those diamonds in the bathtub to what went down in rehearsals, we're unpacking it all. So, grab your tea, take a seat and read on!
1. It took more than half a year to make.
On Aug. 26, director Joseph Kahn revealed via Twitter that he "started concepting and prepping it in January."
"Shot in May," he continued. "Post production until tomorrow morning. You see it Sssssssunday. ? [at the MTV Video Music Awards]."
The actual shoot took five days and was shot in Los Angeles. From start to finish, that's approximately seven months.
2. Cast and crew were sworn to secrecy.
Seven months in the making, without any details being leaked? Pretty damn impressive. YouTube star Todrick Hall, who is one of the featured dancers in the video, told ET that he made a promise to Swift to not say a word to "anyone."
"She called and said, 'I'm working on this project that's super secret, but I know I can trust you. Will you not tell anyone?'" Hall recalled. "And I didn't tell anyone. It was the best! It felt like Christmas came early because when it came out my phone blew up more than it ever has before. Everybody was freaking out about it. It's such an epic and iconic video to be a part of."
"I think it was shot in May," he said, confirming Kahn's tweet. "And it was a huge secret to keep and it was very difficult … It speaks volume of what type of person Taylor is, that she could have all those people on set and then it not leak. People really respect her, she treats everyone so well."
3. All the "old Taylor" costumes Swift wore were the original pieces.
It's true! From "Shake It Off" ballerina to Red tour ringmaster, the pop star was able to bring all of her most iconic looks back to life without having to remake the costumes. The ensembles are now on display at the GRAMMY Museum's traveling exhibit, The Taylor Swift Experience.
4. Swift's zombie look was created by Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool makeup artist.
Kahn also confirmed this detail in response to a fan on Twitter.
"Bill Corso was make-up artist who created Zombie Taylor," Kahn wrote. "Did this movie DEADPOOL with some guy named Ryan. Never heard of it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯."
5. So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Tyce Diorio was the mastermind behind Swift's epic dance break.
Hall confirmed the news to ET earlier this week. Diorio has choreographed for Swift a number of times in the past, including for her "Shake It Off" music video.
RADIX Dance Convention also confirmed this detail. "Have you checked out Taylor Swift's new music video choreographed by RADIX faculty member @tycediorio," they tweeted, along with a teaser clip.
"I was so impressed because, no shade to other people in the industry, but there are a lot of people who try to dance, but with her, it seems very natural," Hall said. "We've had a lot of experience, Taylor and I, dancing at the clubs, so I knew she had what it took. But sometimes it's difficult to translate your club dancing to your on-camera dancing, and I thought she did such an amazing job."
6. Swift came ready to SLAY that dance break!
It was the first time fans saw Swift perform real choreography in a video, and in rehearsals, she didn't mess around.
"She was so kickass," Hall gushed. "And we didn't film it that many times, she just killed it every single performance. I mean, I've worked with Beyonce and I've gotten to work with Taylor and it was a very similar thing."
"She's a perfectionist," he added. "She was never going to go out on camera and not show herself in the best light. I thought she was amazing. For your first time ever dancing? That looks like she's been dancing her entire life."
7. The "I <3 T.S." crop tops were a total surprise.
By now, Swifties are aware that the crop tops the backup dancers wore starting at the 2:12 mark were clearly a nod to the pop star's famous ex-boyfriend, Tom Hiddleston, who wore a similar shirt during Swift's Fourth of July bash last summer while the two were still dating.
But according to Hall, the squad of dancers had no idea what they'd be wearing until they arrived on set.
"That is the first and only time you'll ever see me in a crop top," he joked. "I had no idea that's what I was going to be wearing. I was super into it, but I was very nervous. I've never done anything like that in my entire life."
"I just thought [the idea for that section] was brilliant," he added. "She's just such an iconic and epic person, and whatever she puts her hands on always turns to gold. I love the fact that she expresses how she feels through her music as opposed to on Twitter, on social media. It's always done in such an epic and creative way. I just really appreciate any artist that does that."
8. Swift bathed in real diamonds -- from Bachelor jeweler Neil Lane!
ET has learned that the jewels in the video are worth more than $12 million! The bling Swift bathes in at the beginning of the video was provided by Neil Lane (yes, the same guy who helps the men on The Bachelor and Bachelorette pick out the perfect engagement ring).
9. If one of the snake rings Swift wears looks familiar, your eyes aren't fooling you…
It appears to be the same one from Neil Lane that Zoe Saldana wore to the 2013 Oscars.
10. On the day the video was released, Swift sent everyone flowers as a thank you.
"I don't know if I'm supposed to say this, but on the day that it came out, she sent everybody these beautiful bouquets of flowers and said, 'Thank you so much for being a part of this and keeping it a secret,' because it just made it so much more epic," Hall shared.
"I understand why she wasn't able to tell me a lot [beforehand] because it was a huge project so close to her and she filmed it so much before it came out," he added. "So, I respected that and completely was like, 'I trust that you're going to put me in a positive light and that the video is going to be amazing.'"
And amazing it was.
11. So amazing, that it shattered multiple records.
"The final numbers came in from YouTube," Kahn tweeted on Tuesday. "In 24 hours #LWYMMDvideo set a record with 43.2 million views. Insane."
