What’s it like dating one of the biggest stars in the world? In their own words, the singer’s former flames (including Tom Hiddleston, Taylor Lautner and Calvin Harris) explain the phenomenon of being linked to Swift — and how they reacted to any song lyrics that followed.
01of 06TOM HIDDLESTONAKM-GSIThe actor, who datedSwiftfor three months in 2016,candidly discussedthe whirlwind romance in the March 2017 issue ofGQ. “Taylor is an amazing woman. She’s generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time,” he said, adding, “Of course it was real.” Hiddleston went on to explain themuch-buzzedabout “I ♥ T.S.” tank top he was photographed wearing at the singer’s Fourth of July party. “The truth is, it was the Fourth of July and a public holiday and we were playing a game and I slipped and hurt my back. And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said, ‘Does anyone have a T-shirt?’ And one of her friends said, ‘I’ve got this.'” he recalled. “I just, I was surprised. I was just surprised that it got so much attention. The tank top became an emblem of this thing.“Hiddleston went on to explain that he and Swift opted to pursue a relationship, despite the challenges of media scrutiny. “So we decided to go out for dinner, we decided to travel,” he told the magazine. “A relationship in the limelight … A relationship always takes work. A relationship in the limelight takes work. And it’s not just the limelight. It’s everything else.”
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TOM HIDDLESTON
AKM-GSI
The actor, who datedSwiftfor three months in 2016,candidly discussedthe whirlwind romance in the March 2017 issue ofGQ. “Taylor is an amazing woman. She’s generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time,” he said, adding, “Of course it was real.” Hiddleston went on to explain themuch-buzzedabout “I ♥ T.S.” tank top he was photographed wearing at the singer’s Fourth of July party. “The truth is, it was the Fourth of July and a public holiday and we were playing a game and I slipped and hurt my back. And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said, ‘Does anyone have a T-shirt?’ And one of her friends said, ‘I’ve got this.'” he recalled. “I just, I was surprised. I was just surprised that it got so much attention. The tank top became an emblem of this thing.”
Hiddleston went on to explain that he and Swift opted to pursue a relationship, despite the challenges of media scrutiny. “So we decided to go out for dinner, we decided to travel,” he told the magazine. “A relationship in the limelight … A relationship always takes work. A relationship in the limelight takes work. And it’s not just the limelight. It’s everything else.”
02of 06CALVIN HARRISAKM-GSIHarrisand Swift dated for 15 months starting in 2015. In October 2016, the deejay toldBritishGQabout his experience with the “media circus,” following their high-profilesplit. “It’s very difficult when something I consider so personal plays out very publicly,” he admitted. “The aftermath of the relationship was way more heavily publicised than the relationship itself. When we were together, we were very careful for it not to be a media circus. She respected my feelings in that sense. I’m not good at being a celebrity.“Harris even touched on the Twitter dramasurrounding Swift’s involvement in his hit, “This Is What You Came For.” “But when it ended, all hell broke loose. Now I see that Twitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure. It took me a minute to realise that none of that matters. I’m a positive guy,” he confessed. “For both of us it was the wrong situation. It clearly wasn’t right, so it ended, but all of the stuff that happened afterwards…”
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CALVIN HARRIS
Harrisand Swift dated for 15 months starting in 2015. In October 2016, the deejay toldBritishGQabout his experience with the “media circus,” following their high-profilesplit. “It’s very difficult when something I consider so personal plays out very publicly,” he admitted. “The aftermath of the relationship was way more heavily publicised than the relationship itself. When we were together, we were very careful for it not to be a media circus. She respected my feelings in that sense. I’m not good at being a celebrity.”
Harris even touched on the Twitter dramasurrounding Swift’s involvement in his hit, “This Is What You Came For.” “But when it ended, all hell broke loose. Now I see that Twitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure. It took me a minute to realise that none of that matters. I’m a positive guy,” he confessed. “For both of us it was the wrong situation. It clearly wasn’t right, so it ended, but all of the stuff that happened afterwards…”
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TAYLOR LAUTNER
Mark Davis/PictureGroup
When Swift releasedSpeak Now (Taylor’s Version)in 2023, the couple’s romantic history resurfaced — andLautner (along with his wife Taylor, an avowed Swiftie)was happy to celebrate his ex, evenappearing in her music video for “I Can See You"andperforming a backflip at one of herErasTourconcerts.
Lautnerreflected on their friendly relationship toTodayaround the time of the album drop, saying, “I think it’s a great album. Yeah, I feel safe. Praying for John [Mayer].”
04of 06HARRY STYLESDavid Krieger/Bauer-Griffin/GC ImagesThe former lovebirdswere togetherfromNovember 2012 through January 2013. Two years later, theOne Direction starwas asked during aGoogle Hangout chatif it “felt odd” that Swift had allegedly written songs about him. “We write from personal experience, and I think everyone does, so it would be hypocritical of us to be like, ‘Oh you can’t write about us,’ And she’s really good, so they’re good songs,” he replied. “I’m really lucky in that sense.”
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HARRY STYLES
David Krieger/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
The former lovebirdswere togetherfromNovember 2012 through January 2013. Two years later, theOne Direction starwas asked during aGoogle Hangout chatif it “felt odd” that Swift had allegedly written songs about him. “We write from personal experience, and I think everyone does, so it would be hypocritical of us to be like, ‘Oh you can’t write about us,’ And she’s really good, so they’re good songs,” he replied. “I’m really lucky in that sense.”
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JOHN MAYER
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for VEVO
The musician went on to say that he learned of Swift’s feelings for the first time when he heard the song: “I never got an e-mail. I never got a phone call. I was really caught off-guard, and it really humiliated me at a time when I’d already been dressed down. I mean, how would you feel if, at the lowest you’ve ever been, someone kicked you even lower?”
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JOE JONAS
Chris Polk/FilmMagic
Jonasinfamouslyended his relationshipwith the Grammy winner over the phone in 2008. Shortly after Swift discussed their 27-second call onTheEllen DeGeneresShow, Jonas stepped in to share his own thoughts on the matter via a Myspace post. “I never cheated on a girlfriend. It might make someone feel better to assume or imply I have been unfaithful but it is simply not true. Maybe there were reasons for a breakup. Maybe the heart moved on. Perhaps feelings changed. I am truly saddened that anything would potentially cause you to think less of me,” he wrote to his fans. “For those who have expressed concern over the ‘27 second’ phone call, I called to discuss feelings with the other person. Those feelings were obviously not well received. I did not end the conversation. Someone else did. Phone calls can only last as long as the person on the other end of the line is willing to talk.”
source: people.com
