Joe Alwyn “disappointed” but not “surprised” by Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department”

However, the “Conversations with Friends” actor has refused to comment on the album during his upcoming press tour.

Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, has reportedly listened to her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” which sparked online conversation about their past relationship. 

A source close to Alwyn told Daily Mail that he is “disappointed” but “not surprised” by the album's content, “Joe has listened to the album, and he is slightly disappointed, but not surprised at all.”

While the lyrics often seemingly reference a painful breakup, Alwyn has refused to comment on the album during the press tour for his new movie, “Kinds of Kindness,” which also stars Emma Stone.

Joe Alwyn and Emma Stone in "Kinds of Kindness" (Courtesy: Searchlight Pictures)

The source added, “She didn’t really trash him or defame him. Joe is not going to react to this… He has a movie coming out that he is focused on. He will be doing press – but will not be entertaining any Taylor questions.”

The former couple, known for their privacy, collaborated musically during their six-year relationship. Alwyn co-wrote and co-produced under the pseudonym William Bowery on two of Swift's albums: “Folklore,” which won a Grammy, and “Evermore,” which was nominated the following year.

Taylor Swift with her Grammy for "folklore" in 2021 (Courtesy: Getty Images)

This experience gave Joe firsthand knowledge of Taylor's songwriting process, as the insider explained to Daily Mail, “Taylor draws on her relationships for almost all her songs and he admires her artistry.” 

The insider also said Alwyn was “grateful” to be a part of the “Fortnight” singer’s projects, “He has made a ton of money off the six songs that he wrote for Taylor in the past and he is grateful that their relationship also helped to make him a household name.”

Despite their split, the insider revealed that Alwyn harbours no ill will towards Swift, “Joe has moved on. He is not holding any grudges against her for doing what she does. He knows that it was par for the course.”

This isn't the first time Alwyn has prioritised privacy. He previously expressed discomfort with discussing his personal life in interviews.

However, “The Tortured Poets Department” has reignited speculation, with songs like “So Long, London” and “Fresh Out the Slammer” hinting at their past relationship.

Swift, now linked to NFL player Travis Kelce, has since moved on. In a recent Instagram post, she described the album's inspiration as a “sensational and sorrowful” period that is “now over.”

 

 

 

 

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While some lyrics appear to reference a brief fling with “The 1975's” Matty Healy, details remain unclear.