Joe Alwyn

Joe Alwyn
Joseph Matthew Alwyn (born 21 February 1991) is an English actor. While studying English literature and drama at the University of Bristol, he performed in student productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Alwyn obtained a second degree in acting from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2015, and made his feature film debut as the titular character in Ang Lee's 2016 war drama Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. Throughout 2018 and 2019, he played supporting roles in the period comedy The Favourite, the historical drama Mary Queen of Scots, and the biopics Boy Erased and Harriet. He was awarded the Trophée Chopard at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
During his six-year romantic relationship with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, Alwyn co-wrote and co-produced several of her songs under the pseudonym William Bowery. For his work on Swift's eighth studio album, Folklore (2020), he won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021. Alwyn starred in three adaptations in 2022—the drama television series Conversations with Friends, the romantic thriller Stars at Noon, and the period comedy Catherine Called Birdy—and was included on Time's 100 Next list of rising stars.
Early life and education
Joseph Matthew Alwyn was born on 21 February 1991 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. Raised in North London, Alwyn is the son of a psychotherapist mother and a documentary filmmaker father. He is the great-grandson of composer William Alwyn.
Alwyn was educated at the City of London School. He briefly took guitar lessons, and was part of the school band called Anger Management. He later played football and rugby in school. Although an "introverted" child, Alwyn pursued a desire to become an actor. He auditioned for a small role in Love Actually, a 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film, but did not get the role. He became a member of the National Youth Theatre in his late teens. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English literature and drama at the University of Bristol, he acted in two student productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He graduated in 2012, and applied for four drama schools, but got rejected by all except one—the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, where he completed a BA in acting. 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.
Career
Acting
In early 2015, Alwyn was cast in the lead role of Taiwanese director Ang Lee's 2016 war drama film, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, which is a film adaptation based on the 2012 novel of the same name by American writer Ben Fountain. Lee stated he selected Alwyn because of his "ability to communicate the book's paradox of war with just his facial expressions". Alwyn came to the United States for the first time after passing the film's auditions. He stated that he did "exactly fit" the casting requirements of the role, which were "a 19-year-old U.S. Army grunt"; Alwyn said he had long blond hair and was "a lot skinnier" when he auditioned. In the film's reviews, critics praised Alwyn's performance for its naturalism. Journalists went on to describe the film as his "breakout". He then played a supporting role in the 2017 mystery drama film, The Sense of an Ending, directed by Indian filmmaker Ritesh Batra.
Alwyn appeared in a number of 2018 films. He played a supporting role as the British nobleman Samuel Masham in the period black comedy film, The Favourite, directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. The film garnered 10 nominations at the 91st Academy Awards. Lauren McCarthy of W magazine praised Alwyn's physical humour and silly acting style in the film, in contrast to his "boy-next-door-meets-movie-star-hearthrob looks". He played a supporting role in Chris Weitz's historical drama Operation Finale, and a minor role in Joel Edgerton's Boy Erased—a biographical drama film based on a 2016 memoir by American LGBT+ activist Garrard Conley. Alwyn then appeared as English statesman Robert Dudley in the historical drama Mary Queen of Scots. Alwyn won the Trophée Chopard alongside Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2019, Alwyn played a slave owner in Harriet, a biographical drama about Harriet Tubman. He appeared as Bob Cratchit in the dark fantasy television miniseries A Christmas Carol, based Charles Dickens' 1843 novella of the same name. In 2021, he had a minor role in drama film The Souvenir Part II, and played a 1960s industrialist in the film adaptation Jojo Moyes' 2008 romantic novel, The Last Letter from Your Lover.
In 2022, Alwyn starred in the drama series Conversations with Friends—a Hulu adaptation of the 2017 novel of the same name by Irish author Sally Rooney. Alwyn's performance was met with mixed reviews; Variety critic Caroline Framke wrote that Alwyn lacked personality and chemistry with his co-stars. Alwyn was paired with Margaret Qualley in the romantic thriller film Stars at Noon, directed by French filmmaker Claire Denis, and played the titular character's uncle in Catherine Called Birdy, a medieval comedy film directed by Lena Dunham, based on the 1994 children's novel of the same name; both the films were met with generally positive reviews, with the former premiering at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and winning the Grand Prix.
Alwyn plays a supporting role in And, an upcoming anthology film directed by Greek filmmaker Yorogos Lanthimos.
Music
While in a relationship with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, Alwyn contributed in the production of ten of her songs released from 2020 to 2022. Alwyn stated "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'." He is credited as co-producer for the songs "Exile", "Betty", "My Tears Ricochet", "August", "This Is Me Trying" and "Illicit Affairs" on Swift's eighth studio album, Folklore (2020); and was also co-writer for "Exile" and "Betty", under the pseudonym William Bowery. "Exile" reached the top 10 of the charts in various countries, including number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021, "Exile" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, while Folklore won the Album of the Year, marking Alwyn's first Grammy win. Credited as Bowery, Alwyn also co-wrote "Champagne Problems", "Coney Island" and the title track on Swift's second 2020 album, Evermore. 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. In Swift's tenth studio album, Midnights (2022), he is credited as co-writer of "Sweet Nothing", again as Bowery.
Personal life
Alwyn was in a relationship with Taylor Swift from 2016 to 2023. It was subject to intense tabloid scrutiny. Alwyn keeps his personal life private, which he described as a "knee-jerk response to the culture we live in". GQ labelled Alwyn a "notoriously low-key actor", with The Wall Street Journal calling him "Hollywood's Most Private Leading Man".
Filmography
Film
Television
Discography
Accolades
Footnotes
References
External links
21st-century English male actors
Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Alumni of the University of Bristol
English male film actors
English male stage actors
English male songwriters
Grammy Award winners
Living people
National Youth Theatre members
People educated at the City of London School
Male actors from London
1991 births
Chopard Trophy for Male Revelation winners
People from Royal Tunbridge Wells
Male actors from Kent