YouTube and social media thumbnail of Swift and Dimino in production with “The Life of a Showgirl”
WAYNESBORO – Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” released at midnight Friday, Oct. 3, with a theatrical Official Release Party premiering in theaters for a limited Oct. 3-5 run. The film features behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the music video “The Fate of Ophelia” … and maybe a few sneak peeks of Waynesboro resident, Anthony Dimino.
First Assistant Director Dimino has worked on Swift’s last seven music videos, all of which Swift directed and starred in. “She’s incredibly driven and focused. Even though she has a billion things on her plate, she’s always in complete control,” Dimino said. “Despite her superstardom, she’s very funny and down-to-earth.”
Swift’s social media post from the set of “Fortnight” – Dimino, Swift, and Rodrigo Prieto, Cinematographer
This year has been a big one for Dimino. Teamed with Henry-Alex Rubin, director, the team’s work on “Heartstrings” for Apple’s AirPods Pro2, received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Commercial. This marks Dimino’s fourth Emmy nomination production, with one prior win with Rubin in 2021 for the public service announcement “Sandy Hook Promise.”
When asked how often Dimino has to dodge the paparazzi, he flatly responds, “Never,” then laughs sharing, “But I do get about a million friend requests every time she [Swift] posts a social media picture with me.” No stranger to working with stars, Dimino has had the pleasure of working some of the greatest music artists of his time: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, David Bowie, The Beastie Boys … the list goes on, but he states sincerely, “Working with Taylor has been one of the great highlights of my career.” Despite that, you’re still likely to find him loading paint and mulch in his cart in the aisles of Lowe’s or doing his own yard work.
Are there perks to working with Swift? Yes. In 2023 Dimino was given complimentary tickets for the Eras tour, which he used to take his daughter, Ariabella, and her friend and fellow Waynesboro resident, Brenna Hollingsworth, to attend the Pittsburgh concert at a time when tickets were phenomenally difficult to score and selling at a premium.
Brenna Hollingsworth, Ariabella and Anthony Dimino, Pittsburgh stop for Swift’s Eras tour
Swift’s ties to Pennsylvania run deep. She was born in West Reading, and later moved to a Christmas tree farm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, where she resided until she was 14. Dimino, a Brooklyn, New York, native who spent the bulk of his life and career in Los Angeles, escaped the fires in 2021, with his family relocating their primary home to Waynesboro. And that’s where he chose to be on Emmy night. “I never wanted to be the guy in front of the camera or walking the red carpets,” Dimino quips, “I’d rather be home with my kids snuggling puppies.”
Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” Official Release Party is currently in theaters for a limited Oct. 3-5 run, now showing in the Waynesboro Theatre, the Leitersburg Warehouse Cinemas and Hagerstown Regal Cinema. Catch it while you can – you might just catch a glimpse of a local face on the big screen.
