Have Swifties Lost the Plot With Rumors Joe Alwyn Cheated on Taylor Swift? What the Theories Say
Is Taylor Swift dropping major hints that Joe Alwyn cheated on her throughout their six-year relationship? That seems to be what some of her fans think.
The cheating speculation started after Swift, 34, took the stage in Melbourne, Australia, for an Eras Tour stop on February 17 and sang a mashup of three songs as part of her acoustic set: “Getaway Car” from Reputation, “August” from Folklore and “The Other Side of the Door” from Fearless (Taylor’s Version).
“So getaway car is from the perspective of the cheater, august is from the perspective of the other woman, and the other side of the door from the perspective of the woman who was cheated on,” one social media user theorized after Swift’s performance.
Another eagle-eyed Swiftie referenced the songs’ lyrics directly. “I’ll just leave it here,” they captioned a post featuring screenshots of various lines from the tracks. The upload referenced lyrics about “three of us” being a “sideshow” in “Getaway Car,” while “August” is part of Folklore’s teenage love story. Lastly, “The Other Side of the Door” features the line, “Was she worth the mess?”
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The theories hit social media weeks after Swift announced her forthcoming album The Tortured Poets Department, set to be released on April 19. The album’s cover features a black-and-white photo of Swift lying on a bed. Sleuthing Swifties are now convinced that the photo is a direct reference to Alwyn’s cheating allegations.
Swift and Alwyn were together for six years before Us Weekly confirmed in April 2023 that they had split. Weeks after the breakup news, Alwyn’s Brutalist costar Emma Laird shared a photo with the actor. Rumors emerged that Alwyn had moved on with Laird — with some speculating that she was the reason behind his split from Swift — but this was never confirmed. (Alwyn did not immediately respond to Us Weekly's request for comment.)
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It’s important to note that there are many Swifties who are not on board with rumors that Alwyn cheated. One thread that was originally posted on X in May 2023 (but has since gone viral once again) claimed to offer proof that there was no infidelity involved.
After Swift and Alwyn split, a source told Us exclusively that a major factor in the duo’s split was the singer’s gargantuan fame.
“Joe is very shy and never liked all of the attention that came with dating one of the most popular singers in the world,” the insider explained at the time, saying he never “blamed” Swift for being famous. “He just didn’t like having to be on all of the time.”
Swift has since gone public with NFL star Travis Kelce, whom she started dating in summer 2023. Alwyn has continued to keep his dating life private.