Lupita Nyong'o Wrote to Taylor Swift to Personally Ask Her to Use 'Shake It Off' in 'Little Monsters'

Lupita Nyong'o once wrote to Taylor Swift to make a direct appeal for her song "Shake It Off" to be used on the 2019 movie Little Monsters.

Appearing on First We Feast’s Hot Ones series, Nyong'o recalled when the movie's producers told her they couldn't get the rights to the 2014 hit song, and she decided to take matters into her own hands—because of the time "Shake It Off" had helped her get out of a dark place.

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off (Taylor's Version) (Lyric Video) - YouTube

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"I decided, 'Okay. I’m going to go, I’m going to make a pitch, I’m going to let Taylor know what this song means to me,' and I told her that story about how it lifted me from an almost depression, and the next thing I knew, it was cleared," Nyong'o said (via The Hollywood Reporter).

The story in question went as follows: "When I was working in London on Star Wars, I was going through a lot of self-doubt because it was the second thing I had done," Nyong'o said. "I was getting a little depressed. My best friend came to London and Taylor had just released 'Shake It Off.' And he played it for me to like get me into better spirits, and we just jumped on my bed, and we just danced and danced, and it lifted my spirits."

The Us actress added, "I haven't actually seen her since to thank her for it" (via People).

It's no secret that Nyong'o is a dedicated Swiftie: Ahead of attending the Eras tour last summer, the star shared a TikTok of herself and some pals making friendship bracelets to wear on the night, an activity they stayed at for hours on end.

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♬ Karma - Taylor Swift

Nyong'o is currently promoting her movie A Quiet Place: Day One, a prequel to John Krasinski's A Quiet Place horror film series.

A Quiet Place: Day One | Official Trailer (2024 Movie) - Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn - YouTube

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