You probably saw the thumbnail. Or the frantic tweets. When Sabrina Carpenter dropped the music video for her track "Taste" back in late 2024, the internet basically hit a collective "pause" button at the 2-minute and 50-second mark. Everyone was talking about one thing: the jenna and sabrina kiss. It wasn't just a quick peck for shock value. It was a hallucinatory, gory, and deeply campy moment that bridged the gap between two of the biggest stars of our current era.
The video, directed by the legendary Dave Meyers, didn't just throw Jenna Ortega and Sabrina Carpenter into a room and tell them to act. It built a whole universe. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, the plot is a wild fever dream inspired by 90s cult classics. Jenna plays the "new girlfriend" of Sabrina’s ex, and the two spend the entire runtime trying to brutally murder each other. We’re talking shotguns, chainsaws, and voodoo dolls. It’s a lot.
The Context Behind the Scene
The jenna and sabrina kiss happens during a pool-side sequence that shifts the entire tone of the video. Up until that point, they’ve been hacking each other to pieces. Jenna’s character is making out with the boyfriend (played by Rohan Campbell), but as the camera swirls around, her eyes pop open. She isn’t kissing the guy anymore. In her mind—and on our screens—she’s locking lips with Sabrina.
It’s a classic "Death Becomes Her" homage. If you’ve seen the 1992 film with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, you get the vibe immediately. It’s about two women so obsessed with their rivalry over a mediocre man that they eventually realize the man is the problem, not each other. The kiss serves as the turning point. It’s the moment the "hate" for the rival transforms into a strange, shared intimacy.
Why the Internet Lost Its Mind
People love a crossover. You’ve got Wednesday Addams and the "Espresso" singer in the same frame—that’s a recipe for a viral explosion. But beyond the star power, there was a lot of chatter about "queer-baiting" versus "queer-coding."
👉 See also: Angle of Repose Wallace Stegner: What Most People Get Wrong
Some fans felt it was just a spicy moment meant to grab headlines. Others argued it was a genuine subversion of the "two girls fighting over a guy" trope. Basically, the video ends with the two of them walking away from the guy’s funeral, sipping coffee and complaining about how insecure he was. The kiss was the catalyst for that friendship. It showed that the "taste" Sabrina mentions in the lyrics—“You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you”—was more literal than anyone expected.
Breaking Down the Directing Choices
Dave Meyers is known for high-budget, surreal visuals (think Katy Perry’s "Firework" or Kendrick Lamar’s "Humble"). He didn't play it safe here. The lighting during the jenna and sabrina kiss shifts to a hazy, dreamlike blue and purple palette. It separates the moment from the "reality" of the video.
- The Cinematic Nods: Beyond Death Becomes Her, there are flashes of Kill Bill (Jenna in the nurse outfit) and Psycho.
- The Practical Effects: Most of the gore looks intentionally "fake" and campy, which keeps the kiss from feeling out of place in such a violent video.
- The Chemistry: According to interviews on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Sabrina and Jenna are actually friends in real life. Sabrina mentioned that Jenna was the first person she thought of for the role because she knew Jenna would "get" the dark humor.
Was It Scripted From the Start?
Yes. This wasn't some improvised moment on set. The entire "Taste" video was storyboarded to reflect the lyrics of the song. The song is about a guy who can’t get his ex out of his head, so the video took that concept and turned it into a literal haunting. When Jenna opens her eyes during the kiss, the realization that she's "tasting" the ex-girlfriend (Sabrina) is the literal manifestation of the chorus.
It’s actually a pretty clever way to handle a music video script. Usually, these things are just "singer looks pretty in a field." Sabrina opted for a slasher-comedy short film instead.
🔗 Read more: Why Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier Still Messes With Your Head
What This Means for Pop Culture in 2026
Looking back at this moment now, it’s clear it was a turning point for how pop stars use cameos. It wasn't just a "blink and you'll miss it" appearance. Jenna Ortega was a full-on co-star. The jenna and sabrina kiss became the defining image of the Short n' Sweet era, proving that high-concept storytelling still wins over basic "vibes" on TikTok.
It also solidified Sabrina’s brand as the "unhinged girl next door." She isn't afraid to be messy, bloody, or controversial. Jenna, on the other hand, got to lean into her scream-queen roots while showing a more satirical side.
How to Revisit the Moment
If you're looking to dive deeper into the making of this scene, you should definitely check out the behind-the-scenes footage released on Sabrina's Vevo channel. It shows the two of them laughing between takes while covered in fake blood. It really takes the edge off the "murderous rivals" vibe.
Practical Next Steps:
- Watch the "Taste" Official Music Video again, but pay attention to the color grading right before the kiss—it signals the hallucination before it happens.
- Compare it to the final scene of Death Becomes Her (1992). The parallels in the way they walk and talk at the end are almost frame-for-frame.
- Listen to the lyrics of "Slim Pickins" on the same album. It provides a lot of context for Sabrina's "men are exhausting" theme that culminates in the "Taste" video.
- Check out the director’s cut if available on Dave Meyers' portfolio site; sometimes there are extra frames of the practical stunts that didn't make the YouTube edit.