Joe Alwyn has finally addressed his breakup with Taylor Swift — and the rumors that several songs on The Tortured Poets Department were inspired by the split.
“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,” Alwyn, 33, told The Sunday Times in a profile published on Saturday, June 15, when asked if he listened to Swift’s new album. “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.”
Alwyn and Swift, 34, dated for six years between 2016 and early 2023. Us Weekly confirmed in April 2023 that the couple ended their romance amid the early run of Swift’s Eras Tour. Fans speculate that the pop star detailed the breakup on TTPD, which dropped in April.
“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 told the British outlet. “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.”
He added, “As everyone knows, we together — both of us, mutually — decided to keep the more private details of our relationship private. It was never something to commodify and I see no reason to change that now.”
Swift — who is currently dating NFL star Travis Kelce — and Alwyn have each since moved on.
“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,” Alwyn said. “Well, as I said, there’s always going to be a gap between what’s known and what’s said.”
The Kinds of Kindness star, however, declined to mention if he is still in contact with Swift or whether he started dating again.
“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 said. “I try and live in reality and away from the kind of online noise of Twitter — or wherever else it comes from — and try and just stay in the moment.”
