Josh Charles Thought He Was Being Trolled When Recruited For 'Fortnight' Music Video

The Dead Poets Society actor Josh Charles thought Ethan Hawke was "punking" him when he heard Taylor Swift wanted them to be included in one of her music videos.

In an appearance at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Charles recalled getting a call from his longtime pal Hawke on the gig offer.

"Taylor knows Ethan's daughter Maya and reached out to her," Charles explained. "Obviously the title of the album is Tortured Poets Department, so I think it's obviously a little tip of the cap to Dead Poets Society - other tortured poets - and she probably had this idea it would be interesting for us to be in the video."

Charles revealed that Swift had contacted the Hawkes, and the Before Sunrise actor had contacted him.

"Once I got over thinking he was punking me, you know, when he first called me, I said, 'Dude, are you bulls---ting with me? Because if you're f---ing with me right now....," he recalled telling Hawke. "He was like, 'This is dead serious. And we talked about it, and I talked to her people and it seemed like such a fun idea."

Eventually, Hawke and Charles, who both starred in the 1989 cult classic film Dead Poets Society, made a huge cameo on Swift's chart-topping single "Fortnight" music video, the lead single of The Tortured Poets Department.

However, keeping everything a secret has been complicated for Charles.

"I told my wife [Sophie Flack], my dad, maybe two other people I know," he recalled, noting that he didn't tell his kids because "they're just blabbermouths."

"I did tell my son because he's so full of hot air," he confessed. "He makes up so much stuff I knew no one would believe him anyway."

Swift, who has since dabbled in directing, directed the "Fortnight" music video.

Charles, who had also directed three episodes of The Good Wife, had nothing but good words for the talented Swift.

"She's an incredible director, my favorite kind of director, because she knows what she wants," he gushed. "I will say this - I was already a fan of her music but if any of you ever get to meet her, your fandom for her will just go up through the roof. She's just such a genuine, cool, approachable person, and that's nice to see because that's not always the case."

Watch Swift's "Fortnight" music video with Post Malone, Hawke, and Charles.

Tags

Ethan Hawke, Taylor Swift