Sabrina Carpenter appears to have taken a subtle yet satisfying jab at her ex, Barry Keoghan, months after their reported breakup amid rumors of infidelity.
The two, once in a high-profile relationship, parted ways, and Carpenter recently gave fans a taste of her feelings through her music. To mark the release of a deluxe version of her hit sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, she introduced an updated version of her chart-topping track “Please Please Please”—and with it, a brand new music video.
The music video for the remix features Carpenter alongside the legendary Dolly Parton in a dramatic and somewhat provocative storyline. The two singers embody the iconic characters of Thelma & Louise, driving away from a police chase in a car. However, the video keeps viewers guessing as it doesn’t clarify what crime they’ve committed. In a shocking twist at the end of the video, it’s revealed that the pair has a man tied up in the back of their truck, struggling to break free. His face is covered with a jute bag, but his outfit and positioning bear an uncanny resemblance to Keoghan’s character from the original music video, which was released in June 2024. In that version, Keoghan played the role of Carpenter’s criminal lover, and the two shared a tense, high-stakes dynamic.
The jarring imagery in the remix video quickly sparked fans’ theories, with many speculating that the man in the back of the truck is an allusion to Keoghan. They pointed out that the way he’s bound, along with the taped mouth, mirrors his character’s fate in the first video. Carpenter’s character in the original video had tied up Keoghan’s character, adding a layer of suspense and tension to the story.
“Please Please Please,” with its pleading lyrics about avoiding emotional turmoil, adds depth to the visual representation of a troubled relationship. Carpenter sings about begging her lover not to bring her to tears, urging him to keep whatever inner darkness he harbors under control: “Whatever devil’s inside you, don’t let him out tonight.”
Though the music video’s plotline may not directly address Carpenter’s breakup with Keoghan, the parallels are hard to ignore. With her bold move in the video, Carpenter appears to be reclaiming her narrative and expressing her feelings through her art, with a heavy dose of humor and a little bit of revenge.