Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance at the premiere of Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, more than a week after confirming that she had written an original song for the film. Arriving on the red carpet in a patchwork dress, Swift later performed “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the new track she wrote for the soundtrack, before joining legendary composer Randy Newman for a duet.
Swift’s participation in the film had been kept tightly secret, adding to the excitement around the premiere. On June 1, she confirmed the rumors in an Instagram post, saying she had long dreamed of writing for the characters she grew up loving as a child. Her song was written specifically for Jessie and is included on the “Toy Story 5” soundtrack, marking another collaboration with producer Jack Antonoff.
At the event, Swift also had a fan moment with Tom Hanks, who has voiced Woody in the franchise for decades. According to Hanks, Swift brought her original VHS copy of the first “Toy Story” film and asked him for an autograph. Hanks said he signed the tape and joked that she should have brought a VHS player too.
Following the screening, Swift returned to the stage in a yellow dress for the first live performance of her new song. Randy Newman then performed “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the franchise’s iconic theme song, creating a nostalgic finale for the premiere audience.
The secrecy surrounding Swift’s involvement extended well beyond the announcement. VFX supervisor Thomas Jordan said only a small group knew about the singer’s contribution, and the production even created a decoy version of the film without her song so it could be shown to Pixar, Disney employees, and press without spoiling the surprise. Jordan said most of the crew was unaware of Swift’s role.
Hints about Swift’s involvement first began circulating in April. Fans noticed a countdown on her website with imagery resembling “Toy Story,” and later observed her wearing outfits in colors associated with the franchise. Additional billboards featuring “TS” initials and cloud-filled skies added to speculation. Swift ultimately confirmed the connection in her June 5 post, writing that being a “Toy Story” kid from age 5 to now was an adventure she planned to continue “to infinity and beyond.”
