The team behind Amazon Prime’s hit romance series went above and beyond to get Taylor Swift’s approval to feature her music in the show.
During her January 9 appearance on Open Book with Jenna Bush Hager, showrunner Jenny Han revealed the lengths they went to in hopes of securing Swift’s The Way I Loved You from her Fearless album for the first season. “I was kind of trying to Inception it into everyone’s heads that we need this,” Han admitted.
The cast and crew were fully on board, but getting Swift’s blessing wasn’t a given. A rep at Amazon Music suggested that Han write a heartfelt, handwritten letter to the pop star, explaining why the song was essential—not just for her vision, but for the fans. “I wrote a handwritten note about how much it would mean,” Han shared.
To their surprise and delight, Swift approved the request—and even allowed multiple songs to be used. “We were so lucky to get more than one [song],” Han added.
The show itself is a classic teenage romance centered around a love triangle between one girl and two brothers. As the official synopsis describes it, “A story about first love, first heartbreak, and the magic of that one perfect summer.”