The actor and the Love Story singer, who are rumoured to be engaged, have always been very private about their relationship
Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift.
One of the main talking points from the show – which is the latest TV adaptation of one of Sally Rooney’s novels – centres around one of the lead actors, Joe Alwyn.
Alwyn, who is dating pop superstar Taylor Swift, took on his most prominent role to date in the programme – and fans have been quick to praise him.
But, just who is Joe Alwyn, how old is he, how long has he been dating Taylor Swift and what have fans said about him?
Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Joe Alwyn?
Joe Alwyn is an actor from London, and has a history of film-making in his family.
His parents are Elizabeth and Richard Alwyn.
Elizabeth is an author, columnist, and psychoanalytic psychotherapist, while Richard is a documentary filmmaker.
He is the grandson of the late director and producer Jonathan Alwyn, who was best known for The Avengers (1961), Mystery and Imagination (1966) and Out of This World (1962).
He is also the great-grandson of the late composer, conductor, and music teacher William Alwyn, who taught at London’s Royal Academy of Music as a professor from 1926 to 1955.
Joe auditioned for the role of Sam in Richard Curtis’ hugely successful romantic comedy Love Actually (2003), but lost out on the role to Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Thirteen years later, he landed his first role in film, starring as Billy in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016).
How old is Joe Alwyn?
Joe Alwyn is 31 years old.
He was born on 21 February 1991.
How long have Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift been dating?
Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift have always done their best to keep their relationship out of the public eye, so it is not known exactly when they first met and started dating.
The Sun first reported that they had been seeing each other for months back in May 2017, which if true would mean that they have now been together for over five years.
In May 2018, both Alwyn and Swift posted photos of themselves on the same day, standing next to the same cactus.
The pair did not mention each other in their captions, or tag each other in their photos, but many fans took this as confirmation that they were dating.
In September of the same year, Alwywn mentioned the Shake It Off singer in an interview with British Vogue, but only really to say he did not want to talk about their relationship.
He said: “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 really prefer to talk about work.”
In February 2019, the couple – who are rarely pictured together – were photographed walking hand in hand as they attended a BAFTAs after party.
In April 2020, fans believed the pair were isolating together during the coronavirus pandemic as Alwyn posted photos of his Instagram stories of Swift’s cat, Benjamin Button.
Are Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift engaged?
In February this year, there were lots of rumours that the couple are now engaged, though this has not been confirmed.
American magazine Life & Style reported on 17 February that Swift and Alwyn had privately got engaged, but their reps didn’t comment on the rumour.
In an interview to promote Conversations with Friends, on April 13, Alwyn told ELLE UK why he doesn’t discuss their relationship in interviews.
He said: “It’s not really [because I] want to be guarded and private, it’s more a response to something else.
“We live in a culture that is so increasingly intrusive… The more you give – and frankly, even if you don’t give it – something will be taken.”
A week later, he spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the engagement rumours, but did not confirm or deny them.
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.”
What has Taylor Swift said about Conversations with Friends?
Hours after Conversations with Friends debuted on BBC Three on Sunday 15 May, Swift took to her Instagram to show support for her beau.
She shared a post from the show’s Instagram story which included a quote from Time Magazine, which said the show, ‘breathes fresh life into Sally Rooney’s best novel.’
She shared a post from the show’s Instagram story which included a quote from Time Magazine, which said the show breathes fresh life into Sally Rooney’s best novel.
In her caption, Swift wrote “Can confirm it’s phenomenal.”
What have fans said about Joe Alwyn in Conversations with Friends?
Viewers have taken to Twitter to applaud Alwyn for his performance as Nick, an actor who’s not quite as famous as he used to be.
One said: “I also read CWF (Conversations with Friends) and Joe Alwyn perfectly played Nick.”
Another said: “He played Nick just like he was written in the book and had some really beautiful emotional moments. He was very good.”
One fan said he was “phenomenal”.
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism