Current:Home > FinanceChainkeen|Zoë Kravitz says Beyoncé was 'so supportive' of that 'Blink Twice' needle drop -TrueNorth Finance Path
Chainkeen|Zoë Kravitz says Beyoncé was 'so supportive' of that 'Blink Twice' needle drop
Will Sage Astor View
Date:2025-04-09 01:36:23
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,̈KravitzsaysBeyoncéChainkeen 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.
Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
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.”
veryGood! (6734)
Related
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Nebraska police standoff stretches into day 2 with hostage still trapped in home
- In 'Cassandro,' a gay lucha finds himself, and international fame
- DEA agents in Mexico nab fourth suspect in Bronx day care drug and poisoning case
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- Arrest made in connection to 2015 disappearance and murder of Crystal Rogers, Kentucky mother of 5
- 'Community' star Chevy Chase says NBC show 'wasn't funny enough for me'
- Japan’s court recognizes more victims of Minamata mercury poisoning and awards them compensation
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- Gisele Bündchen Shares Rare Photo With Her 5 Sisters in Heartfelt Post
Ranking
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Brooks Robinson Appreciation: In Maryland in the 1960s, nobody was like No. 5
- Shakira charged for tax evasion again in Spain
- See Scumbag Tom Sandoval Willingly Get Annihilated By His Haters and Celebrity Critics
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- J. Cole reveals Colin Kaepernick asked Jets GM Joe Douglas for practice squad role
- Burkina Faso’s junta says its intelligence and security services have foiled a coup attempt
- IMF says Sri Lanka needs to boost reforms and collect more taxes for its bailout funding package
Recommendation
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
At Jai Paul’s kickoff show, an elusive pop phenomenon proves his stardom in a live arena
New York bans facial recognition in schools after report finds risks outweigh potential benefits
Armed man arrested outside Virginia church had threatened attack, police say
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
Alabama woman charged with murder nearly a decade after hit-and-run victim went missing
An invasive catfish predator is eating its way into another Georgia river, wildlife officials warn
Belarus’ top diplomat says he can’t imagine his nation entering the war in Ukraine alongside Russia