Justin Long digs his own grave in Ariana Grande's 'Hate That I Made You Love Me' video

A ghost with a grudge

Ariana Grande's new music video for 'Hate That I Made You Love Me' features a characteristically sharp premise: Grande plays a revenge-seeking ghost, and actor Justin Long is on the receiving end. According to Pitchfork, Long's character literally digs his own grave in the short, which is the kind of visual gag that lands harder when the song already has teeth.

The pairing is an odd-couple choice that works precisely because Long brings a certain hangdog quality to whatever role he inhabits. Casting him here, opposite Ariana Grande in full ghost-vengeance mode, gives the video a darkly comedic edge that a more obvious pick would have dulled.

Why it matters

Visuals tied to recent Ariana Grande releases have leaned into narrative more than spectacle, and this one continues that thread. A ghost-revenge concept is not new territory for pop, but the execution, a single actor digging his own grave while Grande presides over the scene, keeps things economical. No overcrowded set pieces, no cameo pile-up. Just a clean, slightly macabre story.

Pitchfork flagged the video without additional production credits in its initial coverage, so directors and full cast details remain unconfirmed for now. What is clear is that 'Hate That I Made You Love Me' now has a visual identity to match its title's pointed tone.