The British actor, 33, said he had ‘a long, loving, fully committed relationship’ with the US pop superstar, 34, as he opened up for the first time in an interview with the Sunday Times Style , revealing their breakup was a ‘hard thing to navigate.’
Alwyn reportedly addressed the speculation in order to ‘move forward,’ after Swift appeared to make several scathing digs about him on The Tortured Poets Department
‘Joe wanted to get this over with once and for all so he can move forward with his life and his career,’ an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively.
‘He never wanted to say anything and was hoping it would all blow over, but it hasn’t. Taylor has made a fortune off their breakup by forming an entire album around it. Meanwhile he has been cast as “Taylor’s ex.”‘
The insider claimed Alwyn initially wanted to avoid publicly discussing their relationship, but the persistent interest became too much to ignore – especially when he is on the promotional tour for his new film, Kinds of Kindness.
‘He cannot go anywhere without being asked about Taylor,’ they said. ‘He had his people tell everyone in advance that he was not going to answer questions about Taylor, but he knew that is all people wanted to ask him about.
‘It became depressing and emotionally draining.
‘Their romance was private – quite the opposite of her relationship with Travis [Kelce]. It was partly due to covid restrictions, but they also preferred it that way.
‘Joe has moved on and is doing promotional work for his films and upcoming projects, so he decided he needed to get this out to move forward. He wants to be asked about his films, not about Taylor.’
The insider said Alwyn has no ‘ill will’ for the singer, who he dated from 2017 until early 2023, but would like her to understand how hurtful her lyrics can be.
‘He wishes her no ill will, but he also needed her to know that appearing to address their relationship without confirming who she is singing about can have a lasting and hurtful effect on the people/ men involved,’ they said.
‘He does not want to discuss this anymore, but he knew that if he didn’t say anything, it would go on indefinitely. Swifties never let anything die.’
Alwyn has no ¿ill will¿ for the singer, 34, who he dated from 2017 until early 2023, but would like her to understand how hurtful her lyrics can be, insiders claim
Swift, 34, appeared to make a series of pointed jabs about Alwyn on her latest album The Tortured Poets Department
Swift seemingly bared her soul about their split on her latest album, with fans convinced stinging lyrics about a man shattering her dreams of marriage and children are a direct reference to Alwyn – although she has never confirmed.
In Loml, she sings: ‘You s**t talked me under the table. Talking rings and talking cradles. The coward. He was a lion. I’m combing through the braids of lies’.
In Lavendar Haze she sings: ‘You swore that you loved me but where were the clues? / I died on the altar waiting for the proof.’
Other lyrics include: ‘I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free.’
In the fourth track, Down Bad, Swift admits to breaking down ‘crying at the gym’ and recalls how the end of their relationship left her feeling ‘hollow.’
So Long London also appears to be a direct reference to Alwyn, who lives in the capital, with Swift singing about bidding farewell to ‘the house on the Heath.’
Swift seemingly bared her soul about their split on her latest album, with fans convinced stinging lyrics about a man shattering her dreams of marriage (pictured in 2020)
Swift has since moved on with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (pictured in February)
After TTPD dropped on April 11, Swift shared a statement about letting go of the ‘sensational and sorrowful’ time that inspired the album – but has never confirmed which songs, if any, are about Alwyn.
‘This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up,’ she wrote. ‘There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed.’
Swift, who is now dating NFL champ Travis Kelce, mostly retreated from the spotlight during her time with Alwyn, with the super private pair rarely pictured in public together.
Days after the release of TTPD, sources close to the actor told DailyMail.com that he would retain his modicum of silence and had no plans to react to the album.
Alwyn is turning his focus on promoting his upcoming movie, Kinds of Kindness (pictured with costar Emma Stone) and does not want to face questions about Swift
But on Sunday he finally addressed their split, telling Sunday Times Style: ‘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.
‘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.’
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.
‘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.’
