Joe Alwyn

Joseph Matthew Alwyn (born 21 February 1991) is an English actor and songwriter. He debuted in 2016 with Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, and has since starred in period films such as Operation Finale (2017), The Favourite (2018), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), and Harriet (2019). Alwyn co-wrote a number of songs by his partner and American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in 2020, such as "Exile" and "Betty". His accolades include the Trophée Chopard at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and the Grammy Award for Album of the Year with Swift's Folklore (2020).

Joe Alwyn
Alwyn in September 2018
Born
Joseph Matthew Alwyn

(1991-02-21) 21 February 1991
Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
Other namesWilliam Bowery[note 1]
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Actor
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
Partner(s)Taylor Swift (2016–present)[1]
RelativesWilliam Alwyn (great-grandfather)
AwardsTrophée Chopard (2018)
Grammy Award for Album of the Year (2021)

Early life and education

Joseph Matthew Alwyn was born on 21 February 1991 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.[2][3] Raised in Tufnell Park and Crouch End areas of North London,[4][5] Alwyn is the son of a psychotherapist mother and a documentary filmmaker father.[6] He is the great-grandson of composer William Alwyn.

Alwyn was educated at the City of London School.[4] He briefly took guitar lessons, and was part of the school band called "Anger Management" around the age 13. He later played soccer and rugby in school.[7] Although an "introverted" child,[8] Alwyn secretly wanted to be an actor[9] and became a member of the National Youth Theatre in his late teens.[10] While studying English literature and drama at the University of Bristol,[8] he acted in two student productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[11] After graduating in 2012, he completed a BA in acting at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama.[10] During the third year of the course, Alwyn signed with an agent who had come across Alwyn at a student showcase. Soon after, the agent informed Alwyn that a production company was looking to cast the title character of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016), which would go on to mark Alwyn's debut in a feature film.[7]

Career

Acting

Within a fortnight of his graduate showcase, in early 2015,[12][13] Alwyn was cast in the lead role of Ang Lee's 2016 war drama, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk,[14][15] which is a film adaptation based on Ben Fountain's novel.[16] He had a supporting role in the English drama film The Sense of an Ending (2017).[17]

Alywn at an interview for Operation Finale in August 2018

In 2018, he appeared in Yorgos Lanthimos' award-winning period drama The Favourite[18] and had supporting roles in Operation Finale,[19] Boy Erased,[19] and Mary Queen of Scots.[20] He received the Trophée Chopard alongside Elizabeth Debicki at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.[21] In 2019, he co-starred as slave owner Gideon Brodess in the biographical award-winning drama Harriet, about abolitionist Harriet Tubman[22] which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September.[23] In December, Alwyn appeared as Bob Cratchit in the BBC/FX three-part miniseries A Christmas Carol.[24]

In 2021, Alwyn had roles in two films: The Souvenir Part II[25] and the adaptation of Jojo Moyes' book The Last Letter from Your Lover.[26] Alwyn will appear in the Hulu/BBC Three adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel Conversations with Friends alongside Jemima Kirke and Sasha Lane, which is scheduled for a 2022 release.[27] He was initially set to star in the Emily Brontë biopic Emily.[28] In April 2021, he was set to star in comedy film Catherine Called Birdy written and directed by Lena Dunham, based on a novel of the same name by Karen Cushman.[29] In November 2021, Alwyn replaced Taron Egerton in The Stars at Noon opposite Margaret Qualley, directed by Claire Denis.[30]

Music

Alwyn co-produced the songs "Exile", "Betty", "My Tears Ricochet", "August", "This Is Me Trying" and "Illicit Affairs" on American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, Folklore (2020);[31] he also co-wrote "Exile" and "Betty", under the pseudonym William Bowery.[32] Folklore went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021.[33] Alwyn (as Bowery) co-wrote "Champagne Problems", "Coney Island" and the title track on Swift's second album in 2020, Evermore.[34] In April 2022, Alwyn revealed to The Wall Street Journal that the name "William Bowery" was derived from the first name of his great grandfather William Alwyn, who was a music composer, and the last name in honor of the New York City neighbourhood Bowery, where he had spent "a lot of time" when he first arrived to the U.S.[7] Alwyn also explained that he had not planned on working with Swift, but "it came about from messing around on a piano, and singing badly," and then "being overheard by Swift, and being, like, 'Let's see what happens if we get to the end of it together'."[35]

Personal life

Alwyn keeps his personal life mostly discreet, which he self-described as a "knee-jerk response to the culture we live in".[7] He also dislikes media's invasion of privacy.[36] The Wall Street Journal has called Alwyn "Hollywood's Most Private Leading Man".[7] Since 2016, Alwyn has been in a relationship with Taylor Swift.[note 2][40][41] Media outlets have taken note of the privacy Alwyn and Swift maintain about their relationship, as Swift was more open about her romantic life in the past.[42] In April 2022, when Elle questioned Alwyn about his discretion, he replied "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."[43] Commenting on rumors about alleged engagement with Swift, Alwyn told The Wall Street Journal: "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."[7]

Filmography
Key
Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2016 Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Billy Lynn
2017 The Sense of an Ending Adrian Finn
2018 Operation Finale Klaus Eichmann
The Favourite Samuel Masham
Boy Erased Henry Wallace
Mary Queen of Scots Robert Dudley
2019 Harriet Gideon Brodess
2021 The Souvenir Part II Max Cameo role
The Last Letter from Your Lover Laurence Stirling
2022 The Stars at Noon Daniel
TBA Catherine, Called Birdy Post-production

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2019 A Christmas Carol Bob Cratchit Miniseries, 3 episodes
2022 Conversations with Friends Nick Main role, 12 episodes

Accolades
Year Nominated work Award Result Ref.
2018 N/A Trophée Chopard Male Revelation of the Year Won [21]
2018 The Favourite Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Won [44]
2018 The Favourite Satellite Award for Best Cast – Motion Picture Won [45]
2021 Folklore Grammy Award for Album of the Year Won [33]
2021 "Betty" BMI London Awards Most Performed Songs of the Year Won [46]
2022 Evermore Grammy Award for Album of the Year Nominated [47]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Songwriting pseudonym.
  2. He has been referenced in much of Swift's music since 2016, such as her albums Reputation (2017), Lover (2019), Folklore and Evermore (both 2020).[37][38] Alwyn stated he finds it "flattering" that Swift writes songs about him.[39]

References
  1. Sources on recognition of Swift as Alwyn's "partner"
    • Malone Kircher, Madison (11 December 2020). "Thank You, Taylor Swift, for Making My Sad Yuletide Gay(er)". Vulture. Retrieved 15 September 2021. For "betty", it was "William Bowery" a.k.a. her partner Joe Alwyn who, according to Swift’s folklore concert film, plays the piano "just beautifully" and roams the house singing fully formed songs.
    • "Netflix's Miss Americana Unveils a New Taylor Swift". Slate. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2021. Although Swift credits much of her recent evolution to her long-term relationship with Joe Alwyn...
    • "Paul McCartney & Taylor Swift". Rolling Stone. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2021. McCartney: So how does that go? Does your partner sympathize with that and understand? Swift: Oh, absolutely.
  2. "Joseph Matthew Alwyn". England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008. Southport, England. 16: 2586 – via FamilySearch.
  3. "Joe Alwyn". Glamour. UK. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2017. Joe Alwyn (Joseph Matthew Alwyn) was born 21 February 1991
  4. McLean, Craig (9 February 2017). "Joe Alwyn: the Crouch End boy taking Hollywood by storm". London Evening Standard. UK. Archived from the original on 9 February 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017. ...26-year-old Crouch Ender...
  5. Flynn, Paul (4 November 2016). "Joe Alwyn Was Destined To Be a Star". i-D. I-D.Vice.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. Hattersley, Giles (27 September 2018). "Joe Alwyn On Fame, Romance, And His Blockbuster-Filled Autumn". British Vogue.
  7. Mechling, Lauren (20 April 2022). "Joe Alwyn is Hollywood's Most Private Leading Man". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  8. "Bright Future". Esquire. UK. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017 – via PressReader.com. Alt URL
  9. Powers, John (16 August 2016). "Breakout Star Joe Alwyn on Landing the Role of a Lifetime". Vogue. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  10. "Joe Alwyn on CSSD". Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  11. Ford, Rebecca; Kit, Borys (25 February 2015). "Ang Lee's 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' Finds Lead". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  12. "Royal Central School of Speech And Drama BA Acting Showcase 2015". The Stage. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  13. Fear, David (11 November 2016). "Joe Alwyn: Meet the Breakout Star of 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  14. Erbland, Kate (10 November 2016). "Meet Joe Alwyn, Breakout Star of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk". IndieWire.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  15. Akel, Joseph (13 September 2016). "Front and Center with Joe Alwyn". VMan. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  16. Kroll, Justin (25 February 2015). "Ang Lee Picks Newcomer Joe Alwyn for TriStar's 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  17. Fleming, Mike Jr. (8 September 2015). "CBS Films Pre-Buys 'The Sense of an Ending' – Toronto". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  18. Ford, Rebecca (3 March 2017). "'Billy Lynn' Star Joe Alwyn Joins Emma Stone in 'The Favourite' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  19. Kroll, Justin (8 September 2017). "'Billy Lynn' Star Joe Alwyn Joins Russell Crowe in 'Boy Erased,' Oscar Isaac in 'Operation Finale' (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  20. "Joe Alwyn Joins Margot Robbie in 'Mary Queen of Scots' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  21. Keslassy, Elsa (16 May 2018). "Joe Alwyn, Elizabeth Debicki Receive Trophee Chopard at Cannes Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  22. D'Alessandro, Anthony (13 September 2018). "Focus Features Moving Forward With Harriet Tubman Pic Starring Cynthia Erivo". Deadline. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  23. Lang, Brent (23 July 2019). "Toronto Film Festival: 'Joker,' 'Ford v Ferrari,' 'Hustlers' Among Big Premieres". Variety. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  24. Tartaglione, Nancy (28 November 2017). "Steven Knight To Adapt Charles Dickens Novels For BBC One; Ridley Scott, Tom Hardy Exec Producing". Deadline. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  25. Barfield, Charles (13 August 2019). "Harris Dickinson, Charlie Heaton & Joe Alwyn Cast In Joanna Hogg's Upcoming 'Souvenir' Sequel [Exclusive]". ThePlaylist. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  26. D'Alessandro, Anthony (29 April 2021). "Felicity Jones & Shailene Woodley Movie 'The Last Letter From Your Lover' Sets Summer Release On Netflix". Deadline. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  27. Gonzales, Erica (17 February 2021). "Sally Rooney's Conversations with Friends Is Coming to Hulu—Here's What to Know". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  28. Wiseman, Andreas (28 April 2021). "'Emily': First Look At Emma Mackey As 'Wuthering Heights' Author Emily Bronte, Movie Sells To Key Markets & Rounds Out Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 28 April 2021. Emily Beecham and Joe Alwyn are no longer aboard.
  29. Kroll, Justin (1 April 2021). "Joe Alwyn and '1917' Star Dean-Charles Chapman Join Lena Dunham's 'Catherine Called Birdy'". Deadline Hollywood.
  30. Kroll, Justin (3 November 2021). "Joe Alwyn To Co-Star Opposite Margaret Qualley In A24's 'The Stars At Noon' From Claire Denis". Deadline Hollywood.
  31. "Credits / Folklore". Tidal. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  32. Aubrey, Elizabeth (25 November 2020). "Taylor Swift confirms the identity of 'Folklore' song co-writer William Bowery". NME. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  33. "2020 Grammy Winners & Nominees". The Recording Academy. 15 December 2020. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  34. Wood, Mikael (10 December 2020). "Review: Taylor Swift's surprise LP 'Evermore' is more — and less — 'Folklore'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  35. "How Joe Alwyn Really Feels About Winning Grammy Alongside Taylor Swift". E!. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  36. O'Malley, Katie (13 April 2022). "Joe Alwyn On The Invasion Of Privacy And What Fans Can Expect From 'Conversations With Friends'". Elle. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  37. Singh, Olivia; Samshian, Jacob (31 October 2019). "Everything we know about Taylor Swift's mysterious boyfriend and muse, Joe Alwyn". Insider Inc. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  38. "Taylor Swift's 'Long Story Short' Lyrics Reveal How Joe Alwyn Has Changed Her 4 Years Into Dating". Elle. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  39. Dresdale, Andrea (24 May 2019). "Joe Alwyn finds it 'flattering' that Taylor Swift writes songs about him". Good Morning America. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  40. Poenisch, Emily (7 December 2018). "Prepare to See Joe Alwyn in, Well, Everything". Esquire.
  41. Boucher, Ashley (24 May 2019). "Taylor Swift and Boyfriend Joe Alwyn Hold Hands as They Stroll the Streets of Paris". People.
  42. Ruiz, Michelle (22 April 2022). "The Exquisite Privacy of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn". Vogue. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  43. O'Malley, Katie (13 April 2022). "Joe Alwyn On The Invasion Of Privacy And What Fans Can Expect From 'Conversations With Friends'". Elle. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  44. Crist, Allison (13 January 2019). "Critics' Choice Awards: 'Roma,' 'Americans,' 'Mrs. Maisel' Top Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  45. "2018 Winners". International Press Academy. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  46. "2021 BMI London Awards". BMI Foundation. Retrieved 11 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  47. "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List". The Recording Academy. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
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