Joe Alwyn made a stylish appearance at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in Berlin on Thursday evening, where he was reunited with his Conversations with Friends co-star, Alison Oliver.
A Red Carpet Reunion
The 34-year-old actor, best known to many as Taylor Swift's former boyfriend, looked in high spirits as he arrived at The Metropol venue. He warmly wrapped an arm around the Irish actress, 28, on the red carpet, showcasing the friendly bond that has endured since they first met filming the BBC Three series in 2022.
Alwyn cut a dapper figure for the star-studded event, dressed in a long black leather jacket paired with matching trousers. Oliver provided stylish support, stunning in a plunging green velvet midi dress and black heels.
From On-Screen Romance to Off-Screen Support
The pair starred in the 12-part adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel, Conversations with Friends, where Oliver portrayed Frances, a 21-year-old student who embarks on an affair with an older actor, Nick, played by Alwyn.
At the time of filming, Alwyn was in a six-year relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. Oliver has previously revealed that the Shake It Off hitmaker was 'totally cool' about their intimate scenes. The Irish actress explained that Swift, who was regularly on set to support her then-boyfriend, understood the scenes were 'part of Joe's job, all part of the story'.
A Strategic Career Move?
Joe's high-profile appearance comes as he graces the cover of GQ Germany's 2025 Men of the Year issue, where he was featured as Actor of the Year. The striking photoshoot showcased his toned torso, with one cover image featuring him shirtless alongside a horse.
Public relations experts are divided on the timing of this cover, which arrives just months after his ex's fiancé, Travis Kelce, appeared on the September cover of US GQ. Emily Reynolds Bergh, CEO of R Public Relations, called the move 'strategic', suggesting it helps Alwyn step away from the 'Taylor's ex' label, especially amidst the buzz surrounding Swift's engagement to Kelce and her album, The Tortured Poets Department.
However, celebrity publicist Lucy Donaghey offered a different perspective, stating it would be 'unfair' to suggest the cover was purely a strategic reaction. She pointed to Alwyn's own career achievements, including work in The Brutalist, the stage production The Woman of the Sea, and the upcoming release Hamnet. GQ has even tipped him as a contender for the next James Bond, signalling a significant industry repositioning.
Alwyn and Swift, who were notoriously private during their relationship from 2016 to 2023, have taken markedly different paths since their split. While Swift is now publicly engaged to NFL star Travis Kelce, Alwyn has maintained a lower profile, focusing on his craft. In a January interview, when asked if he feared being overshadowed by his ex, he stated he has tried to 'focus on controlling what I can control'—namely friends, family, and work.
