Current:Home > MarketsZoë Kravitz says Beyoncé was 'so supportive' of that 'Blink Twice' needle drop -ProfitLogic
Zoë Kravitz says Beyoncé was 'so supportive' of that 'Blink Twice' needle drop
View
Date:2025-04-14 15:50:12
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.
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! (677)
Related
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Georgia district attorney prosecuting Trump has been subpoenaed over claims of improper relationship
- Don’t Miss Out on Vince Camuto’s Sale With up to 50% off & Deals Starting at $55
- Horoscopes Today, February 1, 2024
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- House approves major bipartisan tax bill to expand child tax credit, business breaks
- You’ll Love Jessica Biel’s Birthday Tribute to Justin Timberlake—This We Promise You
- Judge: Florida official overstepped authority in DeSantis effort to stop pro-Palestinian group
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Lawmaker resigns shortly before Arizona House was to vote on expelling her
Ranking
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Parents say they could spend more than $36K on child care this year: 'It doesn't make sense'
- John Podesta named senior Biden climate adviser as John Kerry steps down as climate envoy
- A Tennessee lawmaker helped pass a strict abortion law. He's now trying to loosen it
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to refiled manslaughter charge in Rust shooting
- At least 30 journalists, lawyers and activists hacked with Pegasus in Jordan, forensic probe finds
- Musk wants Tesla investors to vote on switching the carmaker’s corporate registration to Texas
Recommendation
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
Is Elon Musk overpaid? Why a Delaware judge struck down Tesla CEO's $55 billion payday
Cristiano Ronaldo won't play vs. Lionel Messi, Inter Miami. Will soccer greats meet again?
'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' premieres tonight: Start time, cast, where to watch and stream
Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
Premature birth rate rose 12% since 2014, the CDC reports. A doctor shares what to know.
Texas jury recommends the death penalty for man convicted of the fatal shooting of a state trooper
Georgia district attorney prosecuting Trump has been subpoenaed over claims of improper relationship