Swifties have already had their hands the new Taylor Swift album,
Midnights, for about a week, and there’s even more to celebrate. In anticipation for the October 21 release, Swift shared a reel-style teaser video to her social media accounts Thursday night, featuring scenes from a number of upcoming music videos. LGBTQ fans quickly honed in on trans model and actor Laith Ashley, who appears to play Swift’s love interest throughout the visual collection.
Ashley is a model and actor who first rose to fame in the mid-2010s after sharing a photo of himself, that was then reposted by actress Laverne Cox. The rest is history, with Ashley’s modeling carrier taking off from there. He was also the first out trans member of the
RuPaul’s Drag Race pit crew.
Ashley appears on a crowded dance floor as mysterious silhouette, with a hot and sexy dance moment shared with Swift. Later on in the teaser, viewers see Ashley and Swift in bed together, while Swift tenderly strokes Ashley’s shirtless back while he sleeps beside her. In true Taylor fashion, the video closes with her winking at the camera, followed by a cut to black.
Ashley shared the teaser on his Instagram story, writing, “You are magic. Thank you for letting me play a small part in your story.”
The buzz around
Midnights is still palpable, and many took notice to Ashley’s presence in the teaser. Alex Schmider, director or trans representation at
GLAAD, spoke out on Twitter, calling it “incredible” to see Ashley as part of the album’s music videos, “and appearing to be a character of Taylor’s desire no less. A big moment for representation in many ways.”
According to
Variety, Ashley won’t be the only LGBTQ face fans will see in the upcoming videos. Comedian John Early already made an appearance in the
“Anti-Hero” video, which dropped the same day as the album.
Screenshot courtesy of Taylor Swift on Instagram 
