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Taylor Swift and Miles Teller in the "I Bet You Think About Me" music video.
Video screenshotOn Monday, Miles Teller set the record straight about whether he’s vaccinated after starring in a music video for Taylor Swift’s new Red (Taylor’s Version) “From the Vault” track “I Bet You Think About Me,” featuring Chris Stapleton.
The Swifties were definitely thinking about the Whiplash actor after tabloids reported in September that Teller was unvaccinated and had shut down production on The Godfather Paramount+ spinoff series The Other after testing positive for COVID-19. His publicist Lauren Hozempa denied the anti-vaxx rumor, but Swift’s fans still bashed his casting in the Blake Lively-directed video on social media.
“Yeah, Taylor Swift, I love you, but having noted Covid-denier Miles Teller in your video….” one Twitter user commented, while another added, “Lemme get this straight… Out of every employable actor in the business, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively decided that during the pandemic they’d hire literal anti vaxxer Miles Teller to star in their new video? Miss girls this ain’t it….”
Teller addressed the situation directly by tweeting late Monday night: “Hey guys, I don’t usually feel the need to address rumors on here but I am vaccinated and have been for a while. The only thing I’m anti is hate.”
Hey guys, I don’t usually feel the need to address rumors on here but I am vaccinated and have been for a while. The only thing I’m anti is hate.
— Miles Teller (@Miles_Teller) November 16, 2021
Teller appears in the new music video, which has racked up more than 10 million views in one day, alongside his real-life wife Keleigh Sperry. The War Dogs actor plays a groom haunted by vivid memories of his scarlet-wearing ex (Swift) during his wedding to someone else (Sperry) in the six-minute visual.
Swift is also a fan of the couple in real life, sending them a bouquet of flowers and a card quoting her “Lover” lyrics after Teller and Sperry tied the knot in September 2019. Sperry and the superstar have been friends for years, dating back to the time in 2015 when she attended Swift’s 1989 World Tour and posted a super close-up photo with the caption, “A night I will never forget, sitting in this super humans dressing room and picking out her finale outfit while she calmly sips coffee and thousands of people are screaming in excitement above her.”
See some of the reaction to Teller’s casting below:
Sharleen Spiteri joined BBC Radio 2’s The Sara Cox Breakfast Show ahead of Texas taking the stage to launch the main live music programme at Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling.
Checking in from rehearsals, the Texas frontwoman spoke about getting ready for the band’s opening performance at City Park. Radio 2’s annual flagship festival takes place there from 11 to 13 September 2026. "I’m match fit because I’ve had a couple of days’ rehearsals," Spiteri said. "We’re kicking the whole weekend off, which we’re very much looking forward to, so everybody’s got to get ready to party."
Before the live acts take over, Friday’s DJ Pre-Party gets the weekend started with Radio 2 favourites Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage, and Rylan behind the decks.
Jo Whiley helped set the mood with a special programme from Stirling’s Tolbooth venue. Working with BBC Introducing Scotland, the broadcast put the spotlight on Scotland’s emerging music scene through performances and conversations with Fright Years, Alice Faye, and James Emmanuel.
Fright Years, a four member band from Edinburgh, played "Never Been Wrong" and offered their take on Simple Minds’ "Waterfront." Glasgow singer and songwriter Alice Faye, the BBC Introducing in Scotland 2026 winner, paired "Some Brief Encounter" with a rendition of Lulu’s arrangement of "I Started a Joke." James Emmanuel, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Edinburgh, sang "Brothers & Sisters" before taking on Chaka Khan’s "I’m Every Woman."
"We’re all about celebrating BBC Introducing and all the music that’s come out of Scotland," Whiley told listeners. "It's about celebrating the local music scene and the incredibly important work that BBC Introducing does to support independent, up-and-coming artists."
Joining the conversation were Stephanie Cheape, presenter of BBC Introducing in Scotland, Tara McLoughlin, venue manager for Stirling Council, and student radio presenters representing the University of Stirling’s Air3 Radio.
Listeners can catch the complete interviews and live performances from the weekend’s programmes on BBC Sounds.
