Penn Badgley Went Full Joe Goldberg For TikTok's "Anti-Hero" Challenge
Even Taylor Swift had something to say about it.
Midnights just got creepier than ever. You fans are used to seeing Joe Goldberg lurk around sketchy corners, but now the baseball-capped murderer is embracing his dark side more fervently than ever with some help from none other than Taylor Swift. In case you missed it, Penn Badgley finally joined TikTok, just in time to jump on board the “Anti-Hero” trend, nailing the musical challenge by bringing out Joe Goldberg’s inner Swiftie.
Ever since Swift made her self-deprecating bop “Anti-Hero” the lead single off her album Midnights upon its Oct. 21 release, TikTok has exploded with fans reinterpreting the instantly relatable chorus into hilarious videos. Swift singing the phrase, “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me,” just hit way too close to home for so many fans... including Badgley. The You star surprised everyone on Oct. 25 by joining TikTok and making his first-ever video on the app a clever spin on Swift’s lyrics.
Badgley’s TikTok began with the actor running in a panic through an apartment, before finally reaching another, shadier version of himself the door as Swift’s chorus kicked in. “It’s me,” greeted Badgley’s You character Joe Goldberg, decked out in his beloved baseball cap and blue button-down shirt. It comes as no surprise that Joe really is the problem, and the ultimate anti-hero. Even Swift herself loved the video, writing “OMG!!!!” in the comments, to which Badgley responded with a teary-eyed emoji.
“Anti-Hero” really does feel like it could be Joe Goldberg’s anthem, and Badgley himself has been very vocal about how he doesn’t want You fans to romanticize his dangerous character. Back when the thriller series premiered in 2019, Badgley shot back at several tweets from fans swooning over Joe, maintaining that his character should not be viewed affectionately at all. And Joe’s toxicity is more on display than ever as You nears its Season 4 premiere on Feb. 10. The new season will follow Joe across the pond to his new life in Europe, having traveled to Paris at the end of Season 3 to try to find his runaway obsession, Marienne.
Fans may have to wait a bit to see Joe Goldberg back in action, but that wait may not be as bad anymore now that Badgley is on TikTok. He already seems to be having a lot of fun with the app.
