Over a year after their split, we’re finally hearing Joe Alwyn’s Taylor Swift breakup response. In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the actor addressed their split along with Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, which many fans believe is about their breakup.
When asked if he’s listened to Swift’s album, Alwyn replied, “In thinking on what I was going to say, I would think and hope that anyone and everyone can empathize…This isn’t a direct answer to your question, but just thinking about what I want to talk about. I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years.”
He continued, “That is a hard thing to navigate. What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it’s suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in.”
“So you have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it is then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition,” Alwyn added. “And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said. I have made my peace with that.”
Swift and Alwyn reportedly met at the 2016 Met Gala and confirmed their relationship in late 2017, but they kept things low-key with minimal public appearances and social media posts. Alwyn supported Swift’s music career throughout their time together, even contributing to her albums under the pseudonym William Bowery, co-writing songs like “Exile,” “Betty,” and “Champagne Problems.”
Despite fielding engagement rumors for years, the couple chose to keep their romance private . “If I had a pound for every time I think I’ve been told I’ve been engaged, then I’d have a lot of pound coins,” Alwyn told WSJ. Magazine in April 2022. “I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say,” he added.
In early 2023, Swift and Alwyn ultimately decided to go their separate ways, with sources suggesting they “weren’t the right fit for one another.” Since then, Swift started dating Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.
Meanwhile, Alwyn is still keeping things private when it comes to his love life. In his interview with the Sunday Times, the actor was cagey when it came to sharing his dating status: “I’m sure you can appreciate, given the level of noise and scrutiny about my past relationship, why I wouldn’t want to just open the door to things like that right now,” he explained. Nevertheless, he insisted he’s doing “really good” overall. As long as everyone’s happy, right?
