Joe Alwyn feels “good” about his split with Taylor Swift — but does have a few complaints.
Swifties on social media were buzzing as Alwyn — whose breakup with the pop star in 2023 spawned endless speculation and fueled fans’ in-depth readings of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” — has shared his perspective for the very first time.
“I would think and 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 told The Times of London in an interview published Saturday.
Though Swift has since begun a new relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, Alwyn said the breakup was a “a hard thing to navigate.”
The “Favourite” actor is thought to have inspired the lyrics to multiple Swift songs — in particular, 2017’s “Dress,” in which she seemingly chronicled first meeting Alwyn at the 2016 Met Gala. The two stars officially started dating the following year.
Alwyn told the Times that he’s been private about the split because it was “abnormal” to “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.”
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Swift has shared the details of her inner romantic life to monumental success and curated a parasocial relationship with her fans. “Poets,” her first album following her split with Alwyn, set historic new streaming records.
Some speculated one song, “Fresh Out the Slammer,” as well as a vault track released a few months prior were about her time with Alwyn.
The actor reiterated Saturday that they “mutually” decided to separate, however, and to stay private about their reasons.
“It was never something to commodify and I see no reason to change that now,” Alwyn told The Times. “And, look, this is also a little over a year ago now and I feel fortunate to be in a really great place in my life, professionally and personally. I feel really good.”
“And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said,” he continued. “I have made my peace with that.”