What Taylor Swift's Ex Joe Alwyn Has Been Up To Since Their Split
Taylor Swift's makeups and breakups are Internet fodder, given they've been dissected in song too many times to count. While she's currently enjoying a high-profile romance with Travis Kelce, her last split was perhaps her most significant, given she and British actor Joe Alwyn were together for six years. And although Swift was fiercely private about her relationship, she occasionally gave fans an indication that the pair were happy and secure together. For example, she paid tribute to Alwyn in song on her 2019 album "Lover," in addition to collaborating with him on "Folklore," "Evermore," and "Midnights," crediting him under the pseudonym William Bowery.
As for what went wrong between them, any drama was only because the singer and actor had been together so long that fans suspected they might tie the knot. Explaining that the split was not messy, a source told People, "Joe has struggled with Taylor's level of fame and the attention from the public. The differences in their personalities have also become harder to ignore after years together. They've grown apart." And at the end of the day, "Taylor didn't see them working out in the long run."
Swift has been keeping busy since the breakup. She casually dated rocker Matty Healy (of The 1975) before sparking a romance with Kelce, all while traveling all over the world on her "Eras" tour. The "Fearless" singer's name has been in the headlines as much as ever, but we can't say the same about Alwyn.
Joe Alwyn has been busy filming in Europe
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn reportedly split in April 2023, and Alwyn was said to have been "distraught" when news of Swift's brief fling with Matty Healy broke in May 2023, according to the Daily Mail. "Joe was aware that Taylor and Matt were making music together and collaborating. She told him they had become friends and he trusted her," a source dished, debunking any cheating rumors. That same month, Glamour reported that Alwyn cut a far-from-distraught figure in the first public appearance of his post-Swift era, supporting the French brand Celine at a Cannes Film Festival event. Other public sightings have been few and far between, but this tracks with Alwyn's preference to keep things low-key. Glamour also pointed out that the actor wanted to "lead a less public life" after his time with a world-famous megastar.
Meanwhile, the Brit has been hard at work filming "The Brutalist" with co-star Emma Laird in Hungary. In April, Laird posted a carousel to Instagram, captioning it "Moments in March." Fans can peep Alwyn smiling while on a scooter in the third pic. According to Us Weekly, he is part of a "casting shakeup," stepping in for the likes of Marion Cotillard, Sebastian Stan, and Vanessa Kirby. Officially, it wasn't announced that Alwyn would be starring in "The Brutalist" until April. With high-octane names like Guy Pearce and Adrien Brody also attached to the project, we imagine it's a big undertaking that's keeping Alwyn fully occupied.
Joe Alwyn returned to Instagram in September
In September, Joe Alwyn took to Instagram with what appeared to be a photo dump of his life to date, breaking a long hiatus on the platform. His new post featured a 10-slide carousel with images of his travels, a sketch of a building, a view of the water, summer foliage, a throwback, footage from a Bon Iver concert, and more. Alwyn captioned the snapshots with a wave and camera emojis — essentially the modern-day equivalent of titling a photo album "Summer 2K23" on Facebook.
Stemming from years spent uncovering Taylor Swift's Easter eggs, Swifties are skilled Internet sleuths, and they wasted no time in analyzing Alwyn's photos and drawing any possible connections to the "Anti-Hero" singer. One TikTok user claimed that the waterfront view references Swift's song "Daylight," while the summer foliage shot is reminiscent of her hit "Ivy." There are other clues, too. For example, the sketch of a building made some fans think of Swift's apartment on Cornelia Street, and Bon Iver is a regular collaborator of Swift's, even co-writing the "Folklore" song "Exile" with both Swift and Alwyn. But perhaps most telling of all? As of this writing, Alwyn still follows his ex-girlfriend on the 'gram.
Whether you buy into the Swift references or not, Alwyn seems to be living the more private life he wants. Knowing that the "Conversations with Friends" actor is "more introverted, shy, and quiet," per ET, it's unlikely we're going to see a life update from him splashed across the Internet anytime soon.
Joe has started making public appearances
After his return to Instagram, Joe Alwyn has also seemingly broken out of his self-imposed reclusion and began showing up at events. In November 2023, the actor pulled up to the GQ Men of the Year Awards, effectively ending a six-month public appearance drought. Intriguingly, this comeback coincided with the release of Taylor Swift's "You're Losing Me" on all streaming platforms. The track, as Swifties observed, might have dished the dirt on Swift and Alwyn's six-year relationship, particularly the reason why they never made it down the aisle. "I wouldn't marry me either / A pathological people pleaser / Who only wanted you to see her," the lyrics read. According to an insider, Alwyn wasn't thrilled about how he was painted as the bad guy in the song and wished his ex would leave him alone. "It may have been delusional, but Joe was under the impression she'd spare him the Harry Styles treatment," they told Radar.
True to form, Alwyn vanished from the public eye once more, only to resurface in January 2024 — and at a Loewe fashion show in Paris, no less! It was like a reunion of sorts for the ex-boyfriends of Swift's famous squad, with Zayn Malik (Gigi Hadid's former beau and baby daddy), Andrew Garfield (Emma Stone's ex), and Nicholas Hoult (Jennifer Lawrence's former lover) all in attendance. It's unclear whether they formed a coalition of their own, but the men appear to have enjoyed themselves.
Will this streak of public appearances continue for Alwyn? It's anyone's guess! Maybe he'll surprise us at a movie premiere next, perhaps with a new lady love in tow.