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Zoë Kravitz says Beyoncé was 'so supportive' of that 'Blink Twice' needle drop
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Date:2025-03-11 07:37:50
Spoiler alert! We're discussing the ending of the new movie “Blink Twice” (in theaters now). Beware if you haven't seen it yet.
Beyoncé doesn’t give her music to just anyone.
But the pop supernova made an exception for Zoë Kravitz,̈KravitzsaysBeyoncé who skillfully deploys a fan-favorite “Renaissance” track during the bloody finale of her provocative new thriller “Blink Twice.”
The film follows a social climber named Frida (Naomi Ackie), who takes an impromptu vacation with billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) and his hard-partying posse. But their exotic island paradise gradually turns into a cult-like nightmare, as Frida discovers that Slater and his male cohorts have been drugging and assaulting the women in the group to assert their dominance.
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When the women wake up to the men's abuse, they kill them off one by one. And at the end of the film, Frida teams up with new friend Sarah (Adria Arjona) to take revenge on Slater. Armed with knives, they stride into his palatial compound, soundtracked by the woozy opening thrums of Beyoncé’s “I’m That Girl.”
Frida and Slater tussle on the floor, knocking over candles and burning the mansion to the ground. But rather than let him go up in flames, Frida saves the corrupt tech CEO, and with the help of some memory-wiping substances, blackmails him for his fortune. And in the film's final scene, she hosts a swanky gala of her own.
Why Zoë Kravitz chose Beyoncé's 'I'm That Girl' for the ending of 'Blink Twice'
The hypnotic “I’m That Girl,” with its rousing declaration of “ain’t stopping me,” was perfect for the movie’s empowering climax.
“I did not think we were going to get that song,” Kravitz says. “We did not have a lot of money for music. But we sent it to Beyoncé and her team, and they were so kind and responsive. She did not see the whole film, but she saw a clip of that part, and said ‘yes’ and was so supportive. I really couldn’t believe when we found out that we got it. It has such a major impact on the film ... it adds this whole meta, girl-power moment.”
Kravitz says she considered “so many” songs for that scene, including another iconic Beyoncé hit: “Crazy in Love” featuring Jay-Z. But “nothing was even close” to “I’m That Girl.”
“It was just unbeatable,” she adds. “It’s really fun to play with different songs in different scenes, and see how much it changes it. But once you put Beyoncé somewhere, you kind of don’t want to go back!”
Shooting that sequence, Kravitz "was picking banger after banger from different decades and genres, but we kept on screaming that we wanted Beyoncé,” Ackie recalls with a laugh.
After the trauma Frida and Sarah experienced, “I’m That Girl” feels like a middle finger “to the system,” Ackie says. “You just want to punch the air. It’s weirdly celebratory, like a claim of power in such a scary moment of the film.”
Naomi Ackie recalls how the set of 'Blink Twice' felt like 'having a party'
“Blink Twice” is full of other killer needle drops, including Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” and James Brown’s “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul.” Music has always been vital for Kravitz: Her dad is rocker Lenny Kravitz, and she herself has fronted bands such as Lolawolf. Because of her musical background, she was hyper-conscious of the rhythm of the dialogue as she was writing the script.
“Rhythm is so important to me, in the way that scenes flow and the melody of a scene,” Kravitz says. “The reason people love Aaron Sorkin is because it’s like a symphony. The same with editing: I like editing that has a punch to it and that is all rhythm-based. I think of things in that way.”
“Blink Twice” marks Kravitz’s directorial debut. Ackie was floored by her “stylistic approach” and “attention to detail,” particularly when it came to aspects such as sound and music cues.
“She was always throwing out all these awesome songs, and we were just vibing,” Ackie says. “It genuinely was so magical. It’s such a gift when you get to work on something where you feel like you’re having a party at the same time.”
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