Every 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' reference in Sabrina Carpenter's 'Tears' music video

29 August 2025, 13:17 | Updated: 2 September 2025, 15:23

Sabrina Carpenter's 'Tears' music video is full of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' references, but did you spot them all?

Y'all remember Sabrina Carpenter's 'Taste' music video, inspired by the 1992 film Death Becomes Her? Well, she's done it again with her new 'Man's Best Friend' single 'Tears', except this music video is inspired by the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Sabrina has blown fans away with her spookily camp take on The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Directed by Bardia Zeinali, who also worked on 'Please Please Please', the video does an excellent job of capturing the raunchy and weird feel of the cult classic film.

In the video, Sabrina appears to portray the film's leading-lady Janet and Colman Domingo, in impeccable drag, is seemingly playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the mad scientist who occupies the house Janet stumbles across.

• Read more: Sabrina Carpenter breaks silence on Barry Keoghan getting hate from her fans

While you might have clocked the reference to the movie, did you notice the side-by-side shots? Here are all the The Rocky Horror Picture Show references in the 'Tears' music video...

Sabrina Carpenter arrives to the house dressed like Susan Sarandon's Janet Weiss

Colman Domingo portrays Tim Curry's Dr. Frank-N-Furter

Sabrina Carpenter mirrors Susan Sarandon's Janet Weiss

Sabrina Carpenter mirrors Susan Sarandon's Janet Weiss, again

Sabrina Carpenter's 'Tears' synchronised dance break is similar to that of The Rocky Horror Picture Show's famous 'Time Warp'

Sabrina Carpenter's character gives in and performs just like Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Just like in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 'Tears' music video begins with a automobile disaster that leads Sabrina to find respite in a creepy house. While the original film sees Janet and her fiancé Brad venture into the house together, Sabrina goes alone as she leaves her dead (or so she thought) boyfriend behind in the car wreck.

Upon entering the house, Sabrina is very quickly stripped to her underwear just as Janet was. And, after being toured around the whacky house by it's master Dr. Frank-N-Furter, or in this case Colman Domingo, the leading lady begins to embrace her sexuality. By the end of the film, and music video, Sabrina is seen performing alongside the weird and wonderful characters of the house.

At the end of the 'Tears' music video though, Sabrina gives it the full Carpenter treatment. The guy from the opening car wreck returns, inducing a sigh from Sabrina who's disappointed to see him still alive. She then says, "It’s a thing, someone has to die in every video," before spearing a stiletto heel into his chest.

Did you spot all of the references, and did we miss any?

Read more about Sabrina Carpenter here:

• The explicit meaning behind Sabrina Carpenter's 'Tears' lyrics explained
• Sabrina Carpenter blames public for making her 'hyper sexualised' music so popular
• Sabrina Carpenter's 'We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night' lyrics explained in full
• What does 'My Man On Willpower' mean? Sabrina Carpenter's 'My Man On Willpower' lyrics explained
• A translation of Sabrina Carpenter's multi-lingual 'Goodbye' lyrics and the meaning explained
• Sabrina Carpenter says she might ban phones at her concerts in the future

Sabrina Carpenter - Tears (Official Video)

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