Sister slay.
Two of the league's most popular talents are slated to duel with one another on Sunday, with the Bills' Josh Allen and Chiefs' Travis Kelce hoping to set off fireworks at Highmark Stadium for a ticket to the AFC Championship game.
It's a contest certain to bring buzz. Buffalo and Kansas City are two of football's most popular sides. Their clashes have been the stuff of legend in recent years. Whether it's Allen, Kelce, Patrick Mahomes or Stefon Diggs, it seems that the stars always are aligned when the two sides meet, especially when sudden elimination is on the line.
But the game has another layer to its star power. For not only are Allen and Kelce two supernovas hoping to leave their imprint on the Queen City's arctic tundra. But they'll likely be surrounded by two celestial orbits in the box suites: Dickinson actress Hailee Steinfeld and pop-culture phenomenon Taylor Swift.
Steinfeld dates Allen. Swift dates Kelce. Their paths are certain to be a bit tangled.
But those pathways have long been intertwined, dating back to an appearance Steinfeld made a teenager in the music video of one of Swift's most popular songs.
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With that said, here's what you need to know about Steinfeld, Swift and the decision to give the singer-actress a spot in Swift's iconic "Bad Blood" music video.
Why Hailee Steinfeld was in 'Bad Blood'
Steinfeld's inclusion in the "Bad Blood" was unsurprising for several reasons. For one, Steinfeld — already a rising star after eye-catching performances in "True Grit", "Ender's Game" and the "Pitch Perfect" franchise — was a prominent name, one who could quite easily bump shoulders with the likes of Selena Gomez, GiGi Hadid, Zendaya and countless other starring women at the time.
Secondly, and perhaps more vitally, was the fact that Steinfeld and Swift had already formed a deeply personal connection with one another.
Steinfeld and Swift met back in 2010, introduced by fellow leading lady Emma Stone. At the time, Steinfeld was just 16, while Swift was 21.
That didn't stop the pair from chopping things up with one another. A friendship soon blossomed, one bound by a desire to keep things as loving — and private — as possible.
"I always get the 'Tell us something nobody knows' question," Steinfeld said. "And it's like, we both respect each other tremendously, but we choose to keep our friendship out of the public eye. She's a really great person and an inspiration to me and many others."
Friendship creates chaos. And in the mess of beautiful chaos that ensued after Steinfeld and Swift became comrades, an idea was hatched. Make Steinfeld — and many of Swift's other famous girlfriends — the subject of one of her most popular tracks.
Steinfeld was cast as "The Trinity", a three-headed presence draped in all white who looms around the scenery like a shadow.
"Taylor and I came up with the name 'The Trinity' for my character," Steinfeld said in a 2015 appearance on The James Corden Show. "Which is really cool and, I think, the coolest thing we've ever done as friends, for sure."
Steinfeld cast more praise Swift's way during a 2022 interview with Stereogum.
I was so grateful and so honored to be just in Taylor’s world – aren’t we all, by the way, to exist at a time alongside her genius? And to be in that “Bad Blood” video was like, quite possibly one of the coolest days. Just being a part of her world and her vision, and she has such a strong one for almost every single thing she does. I find that she is an artist that I reference often when it comes to so many aspects in my music career. What an honor to be a part of all that, how much fun, too. And looking back on it, it’s wild. It is crazy. That was a big thing. I mean, to be a part of that era was pretty special.
The video was a hit. Swift captured Grammy Award honors for "Best Music Video." And at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Swift received another eight nominations for the tune and its accompanying visual. "Bad Blood" would capture the Video of the Year award in that competition, as well. To accept the award, Swift took the stage alongside some of her famous co-stars, including Steinfeld.
"Blank Space" and the video for "Bad Blood" won four accolades at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, with the latter winning for "Video of the Year" and "Best Collaboration". pic.twitter.com/htowsGNgqW
— PRABH🧣(Taylor’s version) (@maroonrushh) August 19, 2020