It’s become a thing for celebrities, to suddenly feel like they’re supposed to be outwardly and vocally “over” fame. To be fair, the truly mega-famous probably are over their fame, and they continue to live in the private and secure little bubbles they’ve built over the years (Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise). But it takes brass balls to be a young fame-seeking actor and claim that you have no interest in the spoils of celebrity. So it is with Joe Alwyn, or should I say, so it is with “sources close to Taylor Swift” who are trying to paint Joe Alwyn a certain way. By now, it’s clear that Taylor’s peeps – officially or unofficially – are trying to make it sound like Taylor and Joe are on the verge of getting engaged. We’re having to hear endless cold tea about how Joe loves and adores Taylor and Taylor loves… how private Joe is. But just how private? So private that “he has zero interest in being a celebrity.”
Joe Alwyn isn’t in Hollywood for the fame. In the new issue of PEOPLE, a source opens up about the actor’s serious, under-wraps romance with Taylor Swift.
“Joe has zero interest in being a celebrity,” a source close to Swift tells PEOPLE. “Their personalities are very compatible, and they’re respectful of each other’s careers.”
Indeed, since they began dating more than two years ago, Alwyn, 28, and Swift, 29, have purposefully kept their relationship out of the spotlight while focusing on their respective work — and supporting one another along the way. The Swift source notes that the privacy has only strengthened their bond.
“Keeping it private from the beginning really helped their relationship,” says the source. “They were able to get to know each other in peace.” Adds the source: “They have a very special relationship. Joe adores Taylor.”
If there’s one thing my *cough cough* number of years on earth have taught me, it’s that men who have zero interest in being celebrities often date the most famous pop stars in the world, and they also seek to take on bigger roles in bigger movies, because the profession of acting is world renowned for NOT creating celebrities. I mean, obviously this is utter horsesh-t. But I guess someone is buying it. Snake Fam, don’t you ever get tired of this?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
There is something about him that I don’t like or trust. He just gives me bad vibes.
I mean, Kaiser brings up a good point…if he’s so low-key and anti-fame, why did he pick acting? He could have become a carpenter or something. I don’t really buy this whole image he and Taylor are trying to sell.
That being said, I do think it’s for the best that Taylor has taken a step back in terms of visibility. For awhile there, she was posting every thing she did on special media, which I honestly don’t believe is healthy for anyone. I just don’t think it will last or that Joe is super supportive of her decision to pull back on the visibility.
I don’t think she was posting everything that she did, it was more like staging reunions with “friends”, parties, and a bunch of activities that were planned specifically for her social media.
Some of her “squad” members even said they didn’t have a friendship with her, which I found super weird.
“special media” LOLOLOL….I’m never gonna call it social media ever again!
Yeeeaaahhh he’s sooooo private and hates fame so much that he decided to become a screen actor and date a notoriously public pop star. I mean it’s not like this is a heavily strategic PR campaign, being conducted by his/her team, right? It’s all organic, the media have just randomly picked up the private Joe being private story. What’s next? ‘Joe is just a neurotic English guy, he just wants to be left alone, he’s not comfortable with fame. Did you know he’s British? And neurotic. Awkward. Extreme artistic’
I feel like he’s love bombing her and only there out of interest but she’s too dazzled to see. That’s why they got so far so fast.
She keeps talking about him as some kind of perfection, not like anybody else, real love, but no Mr. Perfect is ever actually perfect.
I know nothing about this guy but Taylor does seem like a fantasist with her relationships, always wanting things to be fairytale like and perfect (and getting very easily heart broken when it turns out guys have been taking advantage of that and lying to her). It’s a difficult stance to take in romance, she’s probably quite easily fooled because she wants to believe the fairytale so badly
They started dating when Taylor was at her most vulnerable. Right after all those attacks and the whole thing with Hiddleston. It’s also not only that he’s perfect, but he knew her better than anyone else right away. Not to mention the theme of isolation in more than one song allegedly about him. Red flags to me.
I think it’s a contract relationship.
Taylor has always lost her head like this. She’s lucky she’s pretty, rich and famous, otherwise she would be creepy.
I really think that’s all Taylor’s doing. She does this to herself, building up her relationships and the men in her life as perfection until a switch flips and they’re the worst. At some point she’s got to recognize her pattern and break it.
Sounds like a borderline if that’s the case
yeah, I find it hard to believe that someone who chose to be an actor and doesn’t want to just do small theater roles or small Indies, and is also dating one of the biggest pop stars around, is not interested in fame. seems suspicious.
I feel like people who make these comments don’t know a whole lot about the trade. First of all, you want to be able to earn enough to support yourself comfortably. Small indies and small theatre rolls aren’t going to do that. Secondly, without name recognition, getting any roles in any size production on screen or onstage is an iffy / risky prospect – extremely unstable. You might get a few but then get no work for ages. Thirdly, even with regular roles on stage, there are still gaps – you never know when you’ll get your next job and often have to take shitty jobs to fill the gaps (crappy ads etc). Fourth, there aren’t as many indie films with decent budgets these days. And even the roles in indie films are competitive. Hell, big stars do indies. Most indies these days also have tiny budgets and pay next to nothing. Michelle Williams, an Oscar-nominated, famous and talented actress, has had to start taking some more commercial roles to subsidise her indie roles. I note that Joe is focusing on supporting roles with acclaimed directors and actors. He’s clearly interested in interesting movies and roles and on improving his craft. Seems legit to me that he wants to be a successful actor with the ability to pick the meaty roles he wants and also to make an adequate living out of his career, as opposed to just wanting to be ***famous!!***
SK- 100% agree with you! It is possible to desire a fullfilling acting career without wanting to be famous. People forget that acting is a profession and that sometimes people want to make art for a living.
Yes exactly. I have a semi-public job and if I could do it while remaining completely anonymous I would. But it’s what i’m good at and what I love to do so I try my best to cope with the negative (for me) aspects, which include being somewhat in the public eye. But I don’t enjoy it at all.
If Joe really was that hungry for fame their relationship wouldn’t be this low-key. Taylor was VERY extra with her previous relationships so it’s clear this wish for a more private relationship was Joe’s request (maybe even requirement!)
@Eva I’ve always got the impression the guys she dates accommodates their lives for her, but not the other way around. Calvin said he had to sign a ND contract. I highly doubt the private act is on Joe’s terms. He has no leverage compared to her financial and status weight.
There are actors that really love the craft and recognize the downside of huge fame.
To those thinking that the only place for that kind of actor is theater, I call BS. Theater and film are 2 very different mediums that require different skill sets. A person can be a very talented actor and be great at one or the other but not both.
All performers crave attention. If you spent ANY amount of time with them you’d know this. Some want it more than others and therefore will be more desperate in their attempt to achieve it, but they ALL want it.
Yeah, I don’t think someone who wants to act without all the icky “fame” nonsense would be putting himself out there in press for a movie that he’s the fifth or sixth lead in (The Favourite) and certainly wouldn’t become “the new face of Prada.”
C’mon.
I was hoping he’ll be at least good at acting. But no. He’s terrible.
I’ve only seen him in “The Favourite” and he was okay but it wasn’t a difficult role or anything. Nicholas Hoult was infinite times better.
He was noticeably worse than everyone else in The Favourite. Especially in his scenes with Nicholas Hoult where they are roughly the same age but he was charisma free compared to Hoult.
He really is a terrible actor–dull & wooden. And he’s not good-looking. So i really don’t see a successful acting career being in the cards for him.
This P.R. is ridiculous. Going to the press with these quotes that are so obviously directly from Taylor, while talking about how OH SO PRIVATE they are, is laughable. So corny. Doesn’t she have anything more important to be doing/focusing on?
I find him so creepy looking. I don’t get how she finds him “gorgeous.” His face is like a little boy and a creep at the same time.
He could’ve been a stage actor, all about the craft. He’s not that person in any way, shape, or form.
It’s a really hard life. I have two friends who are very successful stage actors who get major / leading roles in seemingly every show out there. But that’s how it seems, in reality there are gaps and you never if/when you’ll get your next show. It doesn’t pay very well and you usually have to take shitty ads and other parts in between gigs to keep going. One of the two had a huge stage career and she quit to teach because at least it’s stable income.
I can completely understand being an actor, wanting to act, and wanting to get good, meaty roles; and yet not wanting to be a “celebrity”. Being well-known or famous is not necessarily the same thing as being a celebrity.
Maybe is the cynical part in me but I don’t believe any of this. If you don’t want to be a celebrity you don’t date a superstar lol Before being with her he was virtually no one so wouldn’t need to worry about being a celeb or not.
I believe him. Fame is like double edge sword, it’s very hard to manage.
I don’t think people who work in acting are all love attention. Maybe they just love story telling by acting. There are several actors who is very shy and introvert, Robert De Niro, Sam Rockwell, Won Bin.
And he happened to fall in love with one of the biggest pop stars in the world? Who is known for getting papped everywhere? And then he happened to start getting campaigns from designers and starring in huge movies? If he didn’t start dating Taylor, no one would have known who he was, he could have kept getting small roles or plays and continued acting.
Why not? Maybe he found her cute and he feels comfortable talking to her. People fall in love everyday for simple reason. We tend to over analyze everything because we’re in gossip site.
I’m only willing to believe that he’d settle for moderately well known. I am willing to believe that he may have no intentions of being a HUGE DEAL – but he’s obviously interested in some manner of fame. I’m also willing to believe he’s perfectly content with her being the bigger name – it leaves him more anonymity overall while still enjoying all of the perks of a wildly famous person.
I mean, yes? Some actors just love to act and don’t want the “celebrity/followed by paps” part. Choosing bigger roles or dating pop stars is paradoxical to that, but perhaps he finds the roles interesting or he just believes Taylor is worth it.
Yeah I see this too. He hasn’t actively capitalised on his relationship with her at all. He’s hidden it as much as possible and refused to discuss it. If he wanted to be really famous he’d pimp that relationship out. Maximise it. I believe the guy wants to be a successful actor with his peak of meaty roles; but not be a big celebrity.
My tea leaves predict they will be over by fall.
I think they are giving the PR a last push before breaking up (soon). 100% PR relationship.
his bow ties are all over the place in size……thats all i got from this. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
He doesn’t “want” to be a “celebrity” – yeah, right – but agreed to do that men’s mag spread the other day, what was it again, Esquire, GQ or some such.
Now… what could have been his motivation for doing that, if he didn’t want/need that extra exposure?
Okay totally superficial comment, but I don’t find Joe attractive at all. Does everyone else? Like, to me he just looks…sickly? Too feminine? I can’t put my finger on it.
100%. There is nothing about him that I find attractive in photos. Average, pale, unmemorable. I’ve never seen him in a role or an interview so I might feel differently once I hear him speak.
I love guys who looks “feminine”, but I definitely don’t find this one attractive at all, his face seems to have mismatching features.
He completely lacks any IT factor. I watched some of his interviews looking for something, anything to convince me otherwise, and it’s simply not there. He’s going be the guy you call when you can’t get Nicholas Hoult or Taron Egerton or Aaron Taylor-Johnson. His competition for meaty roles are more talented, experienced, and better looking.
I personally don’t think he looks “feminine,” but I agree that he’s not that attractive. I think he just has youth and tallness atm, and that kind of makes him appear attractive (and maybe the British accent helps? –though I’ve never heard him speak), but overall, to me he seems like a very plain, a bit dorky looking dude (and I normally like non-conventionally attractive, “dorky” dudes) but this one turns me wayyy off.
Maybe he just has one of those faces where you look at it and think, yeah, all those individual features are technically “attractive” but on him they just kind of fall flat.
I came here to say the SAME thing. He looks like any other underage boy on the street.
I can believe not all actors want to be famous or expose their personal lives. Some people just like to act or sing or whatever but want to maintain a private life. There are plenty of actors who use this as an outlet and are actually quite shy.
That said — this is all Taylor and has little to do with what Joe actually wants out of his career. When we last left Taylor post-Tiddlesbanging, the narrative from her camp was “he was fame hungry and tried to use her to become more famous.” So now the natural progression of that narrative is “she’s found her Prince Charming — someone who would NEVER use her for her fame! He doesn’t even WANT fame!” It’s like this every time. Tom Hiddleston was the gentleman after leaving bad boy Calvin Harris, Calvin Harris was stable and mature after dating a younger Harry Styles, etc. etc. Same old song and dance.
The funny thing is why does there need to be a story at all? These stories exist to feed a narrative that goes into someone’s bottom line (Swift). Without these stories, would her bland pop songs be even half as interesting? It’s the girl’s bread and butter.
Tbh I don’t think any of these guys need her. They do fine on their own. I can’t say the same about her. Unless she can release a full album that doesn’t talk about her love life.
I agree, Jammypants. It’s weird because she’s so popular, but other than Joe and Calvin she has actually dated guys who are doing SUPER well in their careers. I think she needs them to be recognizable so fans can pick them out in songs.
And yes lol, she’s had a running narrative that all strings together for the last decade. It’s silly to say the least.
@Case, I’d argue Calvin does fine on his own too. He was already a millionaire when he met Taylor and had hits, even that number one song with Rihanna (not the one Taylor wrote). While I can’t say I know if Joe was doing well before her, I think debuting with an Ang Lee film as the lead does count for something, even if it didn’t do well critically or financially. There’s a bit of prestige there, especially for a fresh out of school actor.
I think anyone who’s been around long enough to see the patterns in her stories would know by now they’re mostly manufactured. I find a lot of celebs very weird and self absorbed lol
He’s just so boring and not even remotely sexy. If this is a contract relationship, is this the best she can do? I guess if he genuinely makes her happy, then all of that doesn’t matter. But the narrative she pushes that he is so “Gorgeous”.. give me a break. I like Taylor and her music a lot, but the PR they put behind this guy is just ridiculous.
Have they ever mentioned how they met? I just can’t imagine how an unknown British actor suddenly finds himself on a date with one of America’s biggest popstars. People always like to call out women like Meghan and Pryanka out for “social climbing” but what about men like him?
He joins her on all her staged pap walks, and maybe he’s doing it to please her, but that doesn’t seem like something someone so “secretive” and “private” and “adverse to fame” would do.
There are plenty of actors out there not trying to get big fashion/products campaigns, and have their faces used on a internationally global scale (most actors WOULD want that, but why would supposedly “humble” and “private” Joe want that?).
If he wanted to keep being a fairly low profile actor, he could have stayed working in Britain (and also not date one of the most famous women on the planet right now).
No one would have to be hearing about how private he is if he wasn’t out here trying to sell the narrative publicly. There are way bigger stars than him that manage to stay completely private and silent, and we don’t hear about them or any of their thoughts or preferences until they want to share it.
They really need to stop pushing this narrative out into the world, and just actually BE silent and BE private, ’cause eventually no one will care, and Joe will definitely get what he supposedly wants—not be in any way famous.
Well as a former very much non-famous actor I can say with authority that the MAJORITY of actors are not famous. At all. Most actors -working and non-working will never be people you know or recognize. That part of this story doesn’t bother me. It’s the “not wanting to be famous” while dating a huge pop star bit that I find HILARIOUS. Because if not being “famous” was his deal he could simply date another non-famous person. A regular Joanne Schmoe. He is CHOOSING to be in a relationship with not only a pop star – but one that is NOTORIOUS for kissing and telling. So, “sure Joe, sure.” Insert massive eye roll.
He seems very uppity and douchey to me. I can imagine him hating taylors friends or isolating her because he thinks he’s above them. Taylors open with fans and stuff and he seems like he wouldnt be nice or open to that fan culture. He’s be rude or wouldn’t let someone speak her.
These are just my impressions without any facts! Lol
He’s stealing Justin Theroux’s game
This was actually my first thought.
He reminds me of Rupert Friend when it comes to screen presence but Rupert Friend was sooooooo damned pretty. Joe Alwyn is forgettable.
Who?
I’ve never seen someone look so bad in a tux. Weird.
What a load of baloney. People who enter the entertainment field are naturally comfortable with attention. Part of that attention gets them recognized, which gets them more offers for work, better money, etc.
Zero interest in being a celebrity…and yet, he willing attends red carpet events with TS.
Is he going to try to earn his living as an actor but live his private life like Dolly Partons husband? Her hubby is rarely seen with her publicly, but he does not work in the entertainment field either.
Saw “Boy Erased” the other night and I was so intrigued by one of the young actors, I thought he was great and after the movie googled who he was. Color me shocked when I discovered he was Tay Tay boyfriend.
He did a good job and he looked handsome in the part.
Taylor? It’s nice of you to promote your boy toy all the way over here on Celebitchy!
Riiiiight. So private we all know how private they are, including when they’re walking around in the middle of nowhere in the woods. Try again, Toe.
He’s being so unrealistic. LIke I want to be drop dead gorgeous & do all I can to look the part, but don’t want others to admire my beauty. He’s doing everything he can to BE famous & enjoying all its benefits, yet doesn’t want the attention it brings. His comments would have been better received if he also acknowledged all the benefits that fame is bringing him.
I think really he just doesn’t want to play 2nd fiddle to her. He doesn’t just want to be known as her BF as he has his own career. Dare I say, he’s not that comfortable with being the less well known/famous/renowned one – that’s why he refuses to play that part publicly?
Oh he can fall in love with a superstar and not want kardashian level celebrity. I think after nearly 3 years of dating her Joe Alwyn has every right to say he’s not looking for celebrity of that type nature. The guy is so low key that people made claims he was not at her new years eve party just because he wasn’t in any of the pics even after seeing him the day before with her. If he were looking for celebrity he’d have put on his I heart ts shirt and made sure everyone noticed him at a Taylor swift party. Lol
Same with the met gala 2016. No one noticed Joe Alwyn there until 2017 when it was revealed he was dating her. Yet tom went viral because he was filmed dancing with her at the very same event Joe went completely unnoticed at.
He’s an actor so of course he’s going to attend certain events for his work. But his behavior at every event he’s at proves he’s not there to make headlines by making a fool out of himself. That’s what they mean by not looking for celebrity in that nature.
No one knew who he was at the Met Gala. He was Hedlund’s plus one. He wasn’t even invited lol.
No one knew he was there until 2017 when the Swift PR boyfriend rollout came, let’s be real here.
You also realized the dancing video was filmed by Taylor’s friends right? Also we learned from Tom it was Taylor who approached him about the dancing. Wintour has rules and because it’s a private party, no filming or photos allowed. But her friends didn’t care. She hosted the thing that year and didn’t stop them either. Nice try throwing Tom under the bus though.
No one denied Tom came off thirsty, but your denial Joe doesn’t want fame and that Taylor didn’t orchestrate a lot of this is LOL
Joe doesn’t want fame? Celebrity: a famous person, the state of being well known.
Fame: the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements. I mean if you’re an actor never recognized for your work & at least some of the general public doesn’t know who you are, you’re not a successful Hollywood actor. And he seems to be trying to be a successful Hollywood actor. I think what he means to say is, I don’t want fame because I date Taylor Swift. But good luck avoiding that.
Cold Tea – ha! I love this shade… will be using it all day.