Fans of Taylor Swift will likely already be familiar with actor Joe Alwyn, her boyfriend of five years, who has inspired many of her songs.
Joe is also a star in his own right as his role in the new BBC Three series Conversations With Friends will prove. The show is a follow up to 2020's immensely successful Normal People and is based on author Sally Rooney's first novel. Along with Joe the show also stars Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane, and Sex Education series three star Jemima Kirke.
Following the success of Conversations with Friends, Joe has hit the headlines again amid rumours that he and Taylor are engaged. According to reports, the pair have shared the news with their immediate family but won't be making a public announcement.
Who is Joe Alwyn?
Joseph Matthew Alwyn - known as just Joe to his friends and family – is an actor from London. He also does a bit of modelling on the side. Swoooon.
Joe was born in London and graduated from the National Youth Theatre before studying at the University of Bristol and London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
He is best known for his roles in films such as The Favourite, Boy Erased, Mary Queen of Scots, and Harriet as well as his role as Nick Conway in Conversations With Friends.
How old is Joe Alwyn?
Joe was born on 21 February 1991, making him 31, and so two years younger than T-Swizzle.
What is Joe Alwyn best-known for?
Joe first got his start in film when he played the title role in Ang Lee's 2015 film Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk alongside Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel and Chris Tucker.
Not bad for your first job, eh?
In 2017, his career really when from strength to strength with roles in The Sense Of Ending and Keepers (alongside Gerard Butler).
He has gone on to even more success when he had a role in The Favourite, playing Emma Stone's love interest, Boy Erased, Mary Queen of Scotts, The Souvenir Part II and most recently Conversations With Friends.
Joe Alwyn Conversations With Friends
Joe Alwyn is back in the spotlight, playing actor Nick the love interest of Frances, played by newcomer Alison Oliver. The show is an adaptation of Normal People author Sally Rooney's first novel and is brought to us by the same team that produced the first adaptation including Oscar winning director Lenny Abrahamson.
In the show Frances develops a crush on Nick (who has a wife btw), while her ex-girlfriend Bobbi enjoys flirts with Nick's wife Melissa - Ooh, things look set to get a bit messy don't they?
How did Taylor Swift meet Joe Alwyn?
Er, we haven't a clue. Instagram? Tinder? A book club? Joe is very private about his personal life, as is Taylor, when it comes to this relationship at least. It may be that she has learnt from previous relationships (cough Tom Hiddleston cough).
According to reports, the pair knew each other "for a long time" before dating. Taylor and Joe were also apparently good friends before anything happened romantically.
The source told the publication that after what happened with Tom Hiddleston, they were determined to keep it quiet.
In the early days of their relationship she had reportedly "been walking around with Joe in London using disguises, like scarves and hats, to keep her identity under wraps."
Are Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn engaged?
Hmmm, that's a tricky one. For basically as long as they've been dating there have been rumours floating around that they were engaged.
Sadly if this is the case we may never find out as Joe revealed in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. He said, "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."
Despite vowing to keep schtum about their potential engagement, it's been rumoured that Joe and Taylor are in fact bethrothed and have been engaged for the past few months. A source told The Sun, "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.
"Taylor has a beautiful ring but she only wears it when she’s at home — ie behind closed doors. Again, only a handful of people know details about the wedding and Taylor hasn’t even told some of her team about the engagement."
Check out Taylor Swift's past relationships:
RADIO Taylor Swift relationships stacked
1 of 7Joe Jonas
Taylor dated Joe Jonas in 2008, later reportedly writing 'Last Kiss' and 'Forever and Always' about him, but she more recently wrote 'Holy Ground' about the split which showed how she'd moved on and gained some good perspective over their relationship.
2 of 7'Half of My Heart' with John Mayer - 2009
American rock legend John Mayertweeted about wanting to record the song with Taylor in March 2009, he wrote, "Waking up to this song idea that won't leave my head. 3 days straight now. That means it's good enough to finish. It's called 'Half of My Heart' and I want to sing it with Taylor Swift."Listen to 'Half My Heart' on YouTube.
3 of 7Jake Gyllenhaal
Taylor dated the actor for around three months at the end of 2010, and fans think her song 'The Last Time' could be about him. In an interview, Taylor once explained the meaning behind the song, saying it was an "experience I had with someone who was kind of this unreliable guy. You never know when he's going to leave, you never know when he's going to come back, but he always does come back," leading many to think that Jake's actor lifestyle could have been an issue.
4 of 7Harry Styles
One of Taylor's most prominent former relationships was with former One Direction star Harry Styles in 2012 for a few months after allegedly being introduced by Ed Sheeran. The pair broke up later that year after they were involved in a snowmobile crash. Taylor's song 'I Knew You Were Trouble' is thought to be about Harry, as well as 'Out Of The Woods' - but this time, Taylor had a song written about her too, in the form of 'Two Ghosts'.
5 of 7Calvin Harris
Taylor did not date for a while after her relationship with Harry ended in January 2013, but when she was introduced to DJ Calvin Harris by mutual friend Ellie Goulding in 2015 at the BRIT Awards, sparks flew. They dated for just under 18 months, but things turned sour when Taylor referenced Calvin in the music video for 'Look What You Made Me Do' along with her songwriting pseudonym Nils Sjoberg that she used for Calvin's song 'This Is What You Came For' with Rihanna.
6 of 7Tom Hiddleston
One of Taylor's more short-lived relationships was with Marvel actor Tom Hiddleston. The pair were infamously papped frolicking in the sea together on a 4th July holiday weekend, with Tom wearing a t-shirt which read 'I ❤ufe0f TS' - something she later referenced in her 'Look What You Made Me Do' music video.
7 of 7Joe Alwyn
Taylor is currently dating British actor Joe Alwyn, and has been since 2016. The pair have kept their relationship very private, with Joe telling Vogue in 2018, "I'm aware people want to know about that side of things. I think we have been successfully very private, and that has now sunk in for people. But I prefer to talk about work." Her song 'Gorgeous' is thought to be about him.
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What has Joe Alwyn said about his relationship with Taylor Swift?
Not very much is the short answer. He lauded to their relationship and the media attention surrounding it in an interview with The Times. He said, "I just don’t pay attention to what I don’t want to pay attention to. I turn everything else down on a dial.
"I don’t have any interest in tabloids. I know what I want to do, and that’s this, and that’s what I am doing."
Taylor is also very private about their relationship. She did give him a shoutout during her Grammy acceptance speech last year, however. She said, "Joe, who is the first person that I play every single song that I write, and I had the best time writing songs with you in quarantine, I want to thank."
Has Joe Alwyn got Instagram?
Yep! You can find him on the handle @joe.alwyn.
Has Joe Alwyn got Snapchat?
Of course he hasn't! He's all mysterious.
Lucky Taylor!