Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s complex portrayal of womanhood in Fleabag forever changed the TV landscape when the series premiered in 2016. Despite Fleabag only running for two seasons, the Amazon Prime Video series, based on Waller-Bridge’s one-woman show of the same name, captured the heart of the cultural zeitgeist. It also caught the keen attention of another major feminist storyteller in pop culture.

Taylor Swift once gave an insight into the media she enjoys, and she took the opportunity to gush about Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s work. The global music icon has openly declared her profound appreciation for Waller-Bridge’s sharp wit, emotional depth, and boundary-pushing storytelling. Swift’s admiration also extends beyond Fleabag to Waller-Bridge’s spy thriller Killing Eve.

Taylor Swift Was Once Obsessed With Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag

Swift Loves How Waller-Bridge Writers Her Character

In a 2019 interview with Vulture, Taylor Swift shared that she is “obsessed” with the work of Phoebe Waller-Bridge — both Fleabag and Killing Eve. Regarding Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag, Swift said, “She makes you crack up, shocks you, and breaks your heart all in the span of a few minutes in that show”. Indeed, it is this combination of side-splitting humor and being caught off guard with tear-jerking scenes that has earned such an enduring critical success for Fleabag.

Despite Killing Eve’s disappointing series finale, Swift also had highly complimentary words for the show, which she saw as a refreshing departure from what she perceived as the “likability challenge” of female characters. It is easy to see why this would appeal to her, having had choice things to say about the media narrative of herself as a public figure, and the double standards between male and female behavior. Overall, it seems like Swift really enjoys Waller-Bridge’s bold writing style and her presentation of the relatable contradictions of being a woman.

From the mystery behind Claire and Klare to the significance of the fox, these are 11 burning questions left unanswered by Amazon’s show Fleabag

This resonates with Swift’s own journey navigating fame and challenging narratives surrounding female artists. Her appreciation suggests a shared understanding of the importance of authentic and complex portrayals of women in storytelling.

Swift’s praise of Waller-Bridge’s work was also no passing comment. As reported by Elle, the Eras Tour star really seems to respect the Fleabag creator as a fellow writer. On the photo of Waller-Bridge’s major Emmys sweep in 2019, Swift remarked:

“There were countless times this writer was up at all hours of the night, not celebrating in the delicious glow of the light bouncing off her golden trophies, but racking her brain to try and stick a literary landing.”

Taylor Swift Is Right, Every Fleabag Episode Is A Whole Range Of Emotions

Waller-Bridge’s Cringe-Comedy Strikes At The Heart Of The Viewer

Taylor Swift is totally right in her glowing assessment of Fleabag — it really does capture a wide range of emotions. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a toolkit of key techniques she uses cleverly to create this distinct style. Speaking to Deadline, she revealed that one of these was breaking the fourth wall. Waller-Bridge has used this even more innovatively than her predecessors by having a love interest be aware of the protagonist doing it, which is a huge moment for both the unnamed Fleabag herself and the audience.

Waller-Bridge also revealed that she maintained Fleabag’s signature blend of “uncomfortable, gripping, and compelling” by ensuring that there are at minimum three things going on in a scene at the same time. These could be subtle components, such as the room being too hot, and by doing this, she makes her characters so much more realistic and relatable than in the average sitcom. Every scene and every episode of Fleabag expresses a whole range of experiences. She excels at luring the viewer into a false sense of security with comedy and then pulling the rug from beneath them.

As a songwriter, Taylor Swift is no stranger to combining scathingly witty wordplay with heartbreaking, relatable truths about vulnerability and love.

Her lyrics often delve into the messy realities of relationships, insecurities, and personal growth, mirroring Fleabag’s unflinching portrayal of a protagonist grappling with grief, guilt, and a flawed sense of self. It seems the writerly admiration is mutual, as Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Andrew Scott were spotted at a Taylor Swift concert last year (via TikTok).