Joe Alwyn has once again found himself back in the spotlight, with fans googling his name left, right and centre. The reason? His ex Taylor Swift, of course.
In what could be the biggest celeb news of the year, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – who began dating in 2023 – shared news of their engagement. It was the happiest of endings for The Life of a Showgirl star, who has long been open with fans about her rather unlucky love life. From eyebrow-raising age gaps to rekinldled flings, her dating life almost always inspires her songs – with Joe Alwyn at the heart of many of them.
From loved up ballads to heartbreak anthems, Joe was the muse behind many of Taylor’s lyrics, even helping her to write several of her hits. It’s no wonder the news of her engagement has fans wondering what happened to the London boy who took Taylor back to Highgate to meet all of his best mates. The pair were together for six years before their 2023 split, with many anticipating that Taylor and Joe would be the ones to walk down the aisle…
So, who is Joe Alwyn? How did he meet Taylor Swift? Why did they split? And, most importantly, which songs are about him? Here are the answers to your burning questions…
Who is Joe Alwyn?
Joe Alwyn is a British actor best known for his roles in Conversations With Friends and The Brutalist. His personal life has often hit headlines too, famously dating Eras Tour superstar Taylor Swift for six years.
©Peter White/Getty Images
Where is Joe Alwyn from?
The British actor was born in Royal Tunbridge Wells, before his family later relocated to North London, around Tufnell Park area.
In the height of his romance with Taylor, the two split their time between Taylor’s various US homes and London. Initially living in Joe’s Crouch End apartment, the couple went on to rent a six-bedroom townhouse in Primrose Hill, as well as being spotted house hunting around Hampstead Heath – which may well be the ‘house by the heath’ Taylor references in her song ‘So Long, London.’
How old is Joe Alwyn?
Joe Alwyn was born on 21 February 1991, making him currently 34 years old. His dad Richard is a documentary filmmaker, with his mum Elizabeth working as a psychotherapist. He’s the second of three children, with an older brother named Tom and a younger brother named Patrick.
For our astrology fans, Joe’s also an emotional and compassionate Pisces. When coupled up with Sagittarius Taylor, some would say their split was written in the stars – with Pisces’ emotional depth sometimes clashing with Sagittarius’ need for freedom.
How tall is Joe Alwyn?
According to the internet, Joe is the kind of person you need around when you have to reach the top cupboards, at a lofty 6ft. Indeed, he did seem to be slightly taller than Taylor, who’s a respectable 5’10.
What does Joe Alwyn do?
Joe is an actor by trade, having gained a degree in English and Drama at the University of Bristol, as well as training at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. He’s most well-known for recently appearing in The Brutalist, Kings of Kindness, and the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends.
Ahead of the show’s air date, Taylor Swift publicly expressed support for her then-boyfriend – sharing a magazine review of the new series with the caption ‘Can confirm it’s phenomenal’.
Aside from appearing in Conversations With Friends, Joe’s had roles in major films including Mary Queen of Scots (in which he plays Robert Dudley, lover and counsellor of Queen Elizabeth) and The Favourite (as Baron Masham, love interest to Emma Stone’s Abigail).
He’s also appeared in Harriet, the Oscar-nominated biopic of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, and a big-budget TV adaptation of A Christmas Carol, playing Tiny Tim’s dad Bob Cratchit.
What songs did Joe Alwyn write?
Outside of acting, Joe also has a talent for music. He helped write several songs on Taylor’s albums under the pseudonym William Bowery, including ‘Exile’ and ‘Betty’ from Folklore (2020), ‘Champagne Problems,’ ‘Coney Island,’ and ‘Evermore’ from Evermore (2020), and ‘Sweet Nothing’ from Midnights (2022). Talking on her Long Pong Studio Sessions, Taylor revealed how she heard Joe messing around on the piano singing the first verse of ‘Exile’ and was ‘captivated’ by it, asking if they could work to finish the song together.
It’s a good thing they did, too. The song – which featured Bon Iver – was so successful it was nominated for a Grammy.
What is Joe Alwyn’s net worth?
Joe is thought to be worth around $4 million, thanks to his impressive and ever-expanding list of credentials.
How did Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn meet?
No-one knows for certain how they met, but the first time they showed up to the same place was the 2016 Met Gala. However, lots of people also think the couple spoke for the first time at a secret Kings of Leon concert in New York, where some reports have suggested they first crossed paths.
Why did Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift split up?
The couple reportedly broke up in April 2023 after six years of dating, with a source telling PEOPLE the split was largely caused by ‘differences in their personalities’.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 06: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn arrive at Zuma on October 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jackson Lee/GC Images)
‘They’ve had rough patches before and always worked things out, so friends thought they would take some time apart but eventually come back together,’ said the source, noting that ‘ultimately [they] weren’t the right fit for one another.’
Reps for Swift and Alwyn did not comment on the breakup at the time, but there’s been plenty of hints dropped. In songs including ‘You’re Losing Me,’ ‘loml,’ and ‘How Did It End?’, the singer references a slow-dying relationship through lyrics such as ‘I can’t find a pulse/ My heart won’t start anymore for you’ and ‘You talked me under the table/ Talking rings and talking cradles/ I wish I could un-recall/ How we almost had it all.’
What has Joe said about Taylor Swift?
While Joe initially gave nothing away about his split, he did open up last year about his breakup.
When asked about Taylor, Joe explained, ‘I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathise and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years. That is a hard thing to navigate.’
Adding that there’s still plenty people don’t know, Joe said, ‘You have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it’s then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition. 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.’
Were Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift engaged?
In June 2022, The Sun reported that they Joe and Taylor were secretly engaged, but had no plans to formally announce the news.
‘Taylor and Joe are incredibly happy and very, very in love. They’ve actually been engaged for a few months but have only told their inner-inner circle – basically immediate family, and trusted, very old friends. Everyone has been sworn to secrecy, too.’
Rumours of an engagement had been swirling for some time, with Joe always remaining cryptic when quizzed about whether he’d put a ring on it. He told The Wall Street Journal, ‘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. I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say.’
Who is Joe Alwyn dating now?
In 2023, rumours swirled that Joe was dating his The Brutalist co-star Emma Laird, after he appeared in a photo dump posted on her Instagram. However, this was never confirmed, and Joe has kept his love life quiet ever since.
This isn’t to say he’s not dating, though. Early last year, reports surfaced that Joe had moved on from Taylor and was now back on his search for love – with an insider sharing, ‘He’s happy and dating. He’s a great guy and not into drama in any way.’
Does Joe Alwyn have Instagram?
He certainly does – you can find him @joe.alwyn for updates on his films. Don’t expect regular updates, though. Joe prefers to live his life away from social media, having less than 100 posts on his page.
Charlotte Roberts is a news and entertainment writer at Grazia UK. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment.
