Joe Alwyn speaks out for the first time about his split from Taylor Swift .

In an interview with The Sunday Times Style published on June 15, the Kinds of Kindness actor (33 years old) said his time with pop star Taylor Swift (34 years old) was “long and loving”.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have been in a relationship for more than 6 years

PEOPLE

When asked if Alwyn had listened to Taylor Swift’s latest album The Tortured Poets Department , which fans believe may have been inspired by the couple’s breakup, Alwyn replied: “I hope that everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with ending a long-term, loving, fulfilling relationship of over six and a half years.”

“It was a hard relationship to say goodbye to,” Joe Alwyn added. Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn decided to split in April 2023 after more than six years of dating, around the same time the pop superstar began The Eras Tour .

A source at the time said the split was largely due to “personality differences” that made it “harder for the two to understand each other”.

Reflecting further on his breakup, the actor told the Times : “What was unusual about the situation was that, a week later, our relationship was suddenly public and everyone outside could comment on it.

It felt like something very real was suddenly thrown into an unreal space through the prism of the media, social media… where the relationship was dissected, speculated on, distorted beyond recognition. There was always a gap between what was known and what was said. But I found peace.”

Alwyn added that he and Taylor Swift decided to “keep the more private details of our relationship private.” “Because relationships have never been something that can be considered a commodity and I see no reason to change that,” Alwyn said.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn at the 77th Golden Globe Awards in January 2020

PEOPLE

Alwyn says he’s doing well right now: “I feel lucky to be in a really great place both professionally and personally.”

Alwyn also talked about working with director Yorgos Lanthimos on Kinds of Kindness . He plays a single father trying to get his wife (Emma Stone) out of a cult. The film marks the second time Alwyn has worked with Lanthimos.

The first project was 2018’s The Favourite . Along with Alwyn, Kinds of Kindness stars Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Jesse Plemons, Hunter Schafer, and more.

However, Alwyn did not express whether he was dating the singer again or still in contact with her.

After breaking up with Joe Alwyn, Taylor Swift dated Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce.