Taylor Swift MV Brings 'Barbie' Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto His First ASC Music Video Award

Rodrigo Prieto has earned his first American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Music Video Award for his work on Taylor Swift's The Fate of Ophelia, recognising his exceptional cinematography on the visual for Swift's chart‑topping track.

The ASC Awards are highly respected in global film and visual media circles, honouring outstanding achievement in cinematography across feature films, television, and music videos.

At the ceremony, held on 8 March 2026, Prieto stood out among nominees to claim the music video category. The win adds to a remarkable career that has spanned decades and includes collaborations with some of the most celebrated filmmakers and artists in the world.

Prieto's achievement is notable not only for the accolade itself, but because it recognises excellence in a medium that bridges pop culture, storytelling, and cinematic craft. His work on The Fate of Ophelia helped bring Swift's artistic vision to life.

The Craft Behind The Fate of Ophelia

The Fate of Ophelia is a visually rich music video directed and co‑created by Taylor Swift, which premiered alongside her album The Life of a Showgirl.

In the video, Swift plays showgirls from different periods in history. Prieto, as the cinematographer, shaped how the video looks, using camera angles, movement, and lighting to bring out the story Swift wanted to tell.

He worked closely with choreographer Mandy Moore and production designer Ethan Tobman to build a rich visual style that matches Swift's artistic vision.

The ASC award recognises Prieto's skill, showing that fellow cinematographers value how he combined cinematic techniques with the fast-paced, creative demands of a modern music video.

Prieto's Acclaimed Career and Swift Collaborations

Rodrigo Prieto, a Mexican cinematographer with a distinguished international reputation, has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards for Best Cinematography for films including Brokeback Mountain, Silence, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon.

These nominations reflect his mastery of visual storytelling and his capacity to work across genres and styles.

Prieto's collaborations with Taylor Swift began in 2020 with the music videos for Swift's singles The Man. He later worked with Swift on Cardigan, Willow, and Fortnight, projects which allowed him to bring cinematic sensibilities to pop music visuals.

His work on Fortnight also earned him the Grand Prize at the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, Camerimage.

More recently, he shot The Fate of Ophelia as well as Swift's 2026 video Opalite, continuing a productive creative partnership that marries Swift's directorial visions with Prieto's seasoned eye.

Beyond music videos, Prieto has a long and varied filmography, having worked on films such as Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, Argo, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Barbie.

The Fate of Ophelia's Accolades

The Fate of Ophelia has been a huge hit on its own.

In the US, it debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with 92.5 million streams in its first week, giving Swift her 13th chart-topping single. It stayed at the top for 10 weeks (not all in a row), making it her longest-running US number-one ever.

Worldwide, the song led the Billboard Global 200 for seven weeks and reached number one in over 25 countries, including Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.

In the UK, it debuted at number one with 132,000 sales in its first week. This was Swift's biggest opening week there so far and became her longest-running UK number-one single.

It also broke Spotify records by being the first song to reach 30 million streams in a single day, showing how the song is also on Prieto's cinematography levels as well.