It Inspired Taylor Swift's Album - But What Really Caused Joe Alwyn To Form 'Tortured Man Club' Group Chat?!

Y’all ready for the REAL story behind that “Tortured Man Club” group chat??

We know Joe Alwyn‘s group chat with fellow British actors Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal somewhat inspired his ex Taylor Swift’s latest album The Tortured Poets Department. But what the heck even was it??

It really sounded like a self-help group for self-indulgent, whinging capital-A Actors. So it made sense Swifties took it as major shade against Joe post-breakup. But it was always self-effacing, says Andrew. The All of Us Strangers star explained to Variety on Wednesday:

“Let me tell you what that is! So they were about to play these tortured characters, and I had played a tortured character in Fleabag. It wasn’t about our own characteristics.”

Paul played a tortured character in 2020’s Normal People, Joe did in 2022’s Conversations with Friends — both adaptations of Sally Rooney novels. Clearly they all thought it was funny they were playing so many tortured souls. But what did they actually talk about? Not much, as it turns out! Exchanging “hello” was about the furthest Andrew says the chat went:

“I think there were three texts, like, ‘Hey, guys.’ You know those groups that you set up, and they just collapse.”

Inneresting! So it wasn’t really anything other than a joke? Did Tay misread it? Or just like the name? Obviously, as it turned out, most of the album wasn’t devoted to shading Joe… unless you count the ignominy of your ex dedicating more songs to a one-month rebound! LOLz!

Do YOU buy Andrew’s explanation of the group chat?? Let us know down in the comments!

[Images via Phil Lewis/MEGA/WENN]