Taylor Swift revealed during a film screening in New York that she and best friend Abigail Anderson still imitate the movie Napoleon Dynamite together.
According to People magazine, the 36-year-old singer spoke about the long-running custom on Sunday during a question-and-answer session with director Andrew Stanton following a screening of Toy Story 5.
Swift explained at the event why the relationship between the characters Bonnie and Blaze had moved her so deeply. She said she wanted to add to what Stanton had said about finding someone of the same gender who was just as strange and silly as oneself.
Meeting in Nashville
The singer explained that when she moved to Nashville at 14 years of age, she felt unsure about how to make friends. She recalled wondering who she should befriend among girls who seemed cool and stylish, before connecting with Anderson, who had curly hair like Blaze.
Swift said the pair immediately discovered that all they wanted to do was imitate the voice of Napoleon Dynamite. She added that they still do the impression today, joking to laughter from the audience that their husbands now have to put up with the routine.
Anderson has been Swift's close friend since their teenage years in Tennessee, where Swift relocated with her family to pursue a career in country music. The enduring friendship inspired Swift's 2008 single Fifteen, and Anderson has frequently supported the global pop star at award shows and public appearances over the past two decades.
Napoleon Dynamite comedy
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 comedy film named after its title character, played by actor Jon Heder. The plot follows an awkward high school teenager who resolves to help his new friend win the class presidency, while navigating an eccentric domestic life at home.
The character is recognised for speaking in a distinctive raspy tone that won over Swift and Anderson during their youth. Directed by Jared Hess, the independent film became a sleeper hit following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, popularising memorable catchphrases and dance routines that permeated mid-2000s popular culture.
Toy Story 5 box office
The fifth entry in the Disney and Pixar animated franchise places the cowgirl Jessie at the centre of the story. In the film, Jessie leads a battle against modern digital devices and screen technologies that compete for the attention of young Bonnie, who inherited the toys from their original owner, Andy.
The animated feature proved a major commercial success in cinemas, generating more than $1.1 billion at the global box office, equivalent to roughly 5.9 billion Brazilian reals. That performance established the film as one of the highest-earning cinematic releases of 2026.
The film trailed only two other major blockbusters during the year, ranking behind Spider-Man: A New Day, which took $2.2 billion, or 11.9 billion reals, and The Odyssey, which collected $1.4 billion, or 7.5 billion reals.
