These days, I think it’s interesting that there’s more energy towards adapting bestseller books into miniseries rather than movies. Sometimes I disagree with spreading out a book’s story into a multi-episode series, but sometimes it works out. Well, Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends has been turned into a twelve part series for Hulu. It stars Joe Alwyn, Jemima Kirke, Sasha Lane and Alison Oliver. I watched the trailer and… I’m not really feeling it, but who knows. Twelve episodes definitely seems like a lot for what seems more like a chaotic romantic drama. Anyway, Joe is promoting the series and he’s dodging questions about Taylor Swift, as always.
Playing Nick: ‘It was a no brainer,’ London-born Alwyn says of the opportunity to play Nick – a pained, quiet actor who navigates an affair with timid Frances whilst still being in love with self-assured Melissa. ‘He’s gone through a bit of a storm and is in a place of recovery. He’s numb to the world,’ he says.
Getting the role: It took just five days after sending in his audition tapes for Alwyn to learn he’d landed the role. ‘I was so excited I went to my parents and had loads of drinks,’ he says. Despite since starring in award-winning films like Boy Erased and The Favourite, he admits he’s not immune to the ‘struggle’ involved in acting. ‘It’s such a weird job. It’s full of so much kind of confusion, rejection, ups and downs.’
Dating Taylor Swift since 2016: He still struggles to understand society’s acceptance that sharing, rather than protecting, one’s private details is the norm. ‘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.’
“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…” I was going to make a point about how we actually live in a TMI culture where people overshare in public forums and on social media way too much, but I actually think he’s right too? There’s also a culture of intrusiveness that goes alongside the TMI culture. Not just within pop culture, but… like, at a governmental and corporate level too? As I society, we’ve just accepted that our phones are listening to us and Google keeps track of everything and that nothing is actually that secure. Anyway, I’m pretty ambivalent about Joe Alwyn in general, but I think it’s cool that he’s been with Taylor for five f–king years and he’s barely said anything about her publicly.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.
Joe Alwyn at the BAFTAS After Party at Grosvenor House, London, England, UK 2nd February, 2020.,Image: 563259721, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Brian Jordan / Avalon 
Joe Alwyn at the BAFTAS After Party at Grosvenor House, London, England, UK 2nd February, 2020.,Image: 563259748, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Brian Jordan / Avalon 
Joe Alwyn attending the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK 03/02/20. Photo by Cat Morley.,Image: 563259824, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Brian Jordan / Avalon
Joe Alwyn arrives at the Tom Ford: Autumn/Winter 2020 Fashion Show held at Milk Studios on February 7, 2020 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 563354587, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Xavier Collin / Avalon 
** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, CANADA ** London, UNITED KINGDOM – Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn holding hands leaving the BAFTA party at Annabel’s in London Pictured: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn BACKGRID USA 10 FEBRUARY 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: Old Boy’s Club / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcG5jZYF5e8monJiZnKzGr6vWnpaloaaarKq6vpqWnK2cqcKzsb6tn5qsj57AoL%2FOmKCnm6KarrS1zaCjspeZo8GzwdKirZ5n