Max Greenfield says Taylor Swift’s brief turn on “New Girl” more than a decade ago revealed genuine acting talent long before she became one of music’s biggest stars. Appearing Friday on the podcast “Therapuss” with host Jake Shane, the actor recalled that Swift’s 2013 cameo left the show’s cast quietly impressed, and that he personally thought she outperformed several of his co-stars in the scene.
Swift appeared in the Season 2 finale, titled “Elaine’s Big Day,” playing a wedding guest named Elaine who disrupts the marriage between Cece, played by Hannah Simone, and Shivrang, played by Satya Bhabha. Elaine turns out to be Shivrang’s true love, and the two elope together, a twist that clears the way for the show to advance the long-running romance between Cece and Greenfield’s character, Schmidt.
Greenfield told Shane that Swift, who plays Schmidt on the Fox sitcom, was warm and approachable on set, adding that her performance held up against a cast that included Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson. He noted that Swift had not yet reached the level of global fame she holds today, describing the atmosphere around her at the time as notably low-key compared to her current stature.
Speaking separately in comments shared by Netflix, Greenfield recounted asking Swift whether she preferred performing for small, intimate crowds or massive arenas. Her answer, delivered without hesitation, hinted at ambitions that would soon be realized many times over on some of the largest stages in music.
The cameo has taken on a life of its own among fans in the years since. Greenfield referenced the episode publicly in 2023 while attending Swift’s Eras Tour stop in Los Angeles, sporting a friendship bracelet reading “Elaine’s Big Day” as a nod to the crossover moment. He has also spoken previously about his own daughters’ intense fandom for Swift, joking that they have told him to stop wearing her merchandise because, in their view, she belongs to their generation rather than his.
