After more than a year since the relationship ended, the actor has finally spoken out about his breakup with the global superstar after six years together.

It has been over a year since the news broke that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn had ended their six-year relationship. Their romance became a talking point again this April after Swift released her album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Since their split, Alwyn had maintained a low profile, steering clear of any public drama. However, in a recent interview, he has finally opened up about their breakup.

Was The Tortured Poets Department linked to Joe Alwyn-Taylor Swift split?
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Alwyn discussed his 2023 breakup with Swift, and was asked directly about the speculation that the new album had taken some inspiration from their relationship and its ending. So Long London was one track in particular that had perceived strong links.

“[Fame] is something I try not to think about too much because it is beyond my control. I try and focus on the things in my life that are important, authentic and mean something to me.”

Tap to read our interview with Joe Alwyn ⬇️

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) June 15, 2024

“[Fame] is something I try not to think about too much because it is beyond my control. I try and focus on the things in my life that are important, authentic and mean something to me.”

Tap to read our interview with Joe Alwyn ⬇️

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) June 15, 2024

“In thinking on what I was going to say, I would think and hope that anyone and everyone can empathise.” He continued, “This isn’t a direct answer to your question, but just thinking about what I want to talk about.

“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.

“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.

“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. 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.”

What was the relationship between Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn?
Over the years, the well-known couple largely kept their relationship private, but it’s known that they started dating in 2017. In May 2017, The Sun reported that Swift and Alwyn were in a relationship. A source also revealed to the outlet that the pair had been secretly seeing each other for months prior.

News of their relationship surfaced eight months after Swift ended her romance with actor Tom Hiddleston in September 2016.

During their six-year relationship, they were rarely seen together in public and shared little about their romance with the media. One of the last times they were spotted together was in August 2022 when they were photographed having dinner in New York City.

Their breakup was confirmed in April 2023 after rumors emerged due to Alwyn’s noticeable absence from the Eras Tour. Following their split, a source told People that the couple parted ways because of “differences in their personalities” and because Alwyn struggled with Swift’s level of fame.