Olivia Rodrigo Reflects on Filming at Versailles
During her appearance on The Elvis Duran Show, pop star Olivia Rodrigo shared her experience filming the “Drop Dead” music video at the Palace of Versailles.
Host Elvis Duran posed an intriguing question: “Can you imagine actually making it your home like some people did?”
Rodrigo thought about it. “Honestly, yes. I tried to picture myself as Marie Antoinette living there. It’s just mind-boggling. I think there are, what, 3,000 rooms? That’s an unfathomable number,” she said, clearly amazed.
She continued, “You know, I was sitting there thinking, ‘No wonder the French started a revolution.’ I mean, if I were in their shoes, I’d be furious too. It’s just so extravagant and beautiful. But, filming there? That was something else. We had the whole place to ourselves, which was surreal.”
Being alone in such a magnificent space is definitely preferable to being around too many people, right?
Rodrigo seemed to navigate the tension between her admiration for Versailles and the critique of monarchy. It’s clear she appreciates its history while acknowledging the factors that led to the French Revolution.
She highlighted the essence of that revolution: resentment. “You have what I want, so I’m going to come up with a reason to get it,” she remarked, striking a poignant note.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting the aftermath of the French Revolution. The Reign of Terror saw at least 300,000 civilians arrested and about 16,000 executed. The turmoil lasted roughly ten months, and estimates suggest that the death toll could be between 30,000 and 50,000.
So, it does strike one as a bit odd that Rodrigo, who has considerable wealth, openly sympathizes with those who champion revolutionary violence due to “wealth inequality.”
As a pop star, her estimated net worth is somewhere between $16 million and $45 million, making her quite affluent compared to most people, and almost unfathomably rich in a global context. While those figures can be tricky, she certainly presents an image of success and wealth.
If we follow her logic, would an Uber driver be justified in taking Rodrigo’s possessions? Not that she comes off as particularly humble in public anyway. She was reportedly seen wearing $200,000 diamond earrings at a GQ event, not to mention the high-end designer outfits at various Met Galas.
This year, though, she notably skipped the Met Gala but attended the afterparty after liking a post on social media that criticized Jeff Bezos’ attendance. That raised a few eyebrows.
It’s interesting how those who criticize wealth often define “immoral hoarding” just above where their own wealth sits.
Who would have thought such reflections would emerge from a conversation about filming a music video?
