Can you imagine a world where Taylor Swift is dating the little boy from Love, Actually? Well, it almost happened.
Joe Alwyn, Swift’s boyfriend of two years, opened up about auditioning for the part on Live With Kelly And Ryan, recounting how he was discovered as a young boy. “That actually came about because of Zorro,” Alwyn explained. “I took fencing lessons, and they’ll often send casting directors around to schools and community centres. So this local community centre where I took fencing lessons, this brilliant UK casting director Shaheen Baig, she came around, and she saw me there.”
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At the time, Alwyn said he was most excited about getting “time off school” for the audition. Though he was very young, he does remember, “meeting Hugh Grant and [screenwriter] Richard Curtis and sitting around reading some scenes.” The part went to Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who went on to star in Game of Thrones as Jojen Reed and Newt in the Maze Runner movies, but who...you know...isn’t dating Taylor Swift.
Though he didn’t get cast that time around, Alwyn’s career hasn’t exactly suffered. He has two movies out right now: The Favourite starring Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, and Mary Queen of Scots starring Margo Robbie and Saoirse Ronan.
Swift even broke her spell of staying uber private about relationships to promote Alwyn’s role in The Favourite on Instagram after sneaking into the premiere.
Love, Actually might be the most beloved Christmas movie of all time, but we’re sure Alwyn would choose his real-life love over the movie any day.
Watch the full interview below.