Alexander Skarsgård stands tall among his peers, and his countless fans often extol his rugged handsomeness. But could he be the muse behind Taylor Swift's enchanting track, "Wildest Dreams"? The actor has finally spoken up on the matter.
For years, listeners have speculated that the pop princess penned this soulful ballad with him in mind. Having collaborated with Swift more than a decade ago on the film 'The Giver,' Skarsgård addressed these rumors during a recent episode of Dax Shepard's 'Armchair Expert,' posted on July 21st. The conversation took an intriguing turn when Shepard revealed, "My 12-year-old daughter is utterly enthralled by Taylor Swift, and for six years now, I've been insisting to her that 'Wildest Dreams' was written about me." He continued, quoting Swift's lyrics with a playful grin, "'He's so tall and handsome as hell…' I mean, who else could it be about?"
While Skarsgård didn't outright confirm or deny if the beloved '1989' hit was inspired by him, he lightheartedly joked, "Let's be honest, it's about Brad Pitt, guys." He further quipped, "I actually wrote the lyrics myself and sent them to Taylor, saying, 'Taylor, here's what you should say.'"
Acknowledging his hesitation to officially comment on the song, fearing the wrath of Swift's dedicated fanbase, Skarsgård nevertheless indulged Shepard's claim. When Shepard recounted seeing Swift perform "Wildest Dreams" during her Eras Tour stop in Portugal, where he was accompanied by his daughter Lincoln, Skarsgård chuckled, "I wasn't in the crowd in Lisbon… Clearly, it was about you."
Monica Padman, Shepard's cohost, admitted to being a huge Swift fan, prompting Skarsgård to add, "Aren't we all? We're all Swifties at heart."
Their paths first crossed while filming 'The Giver' in 2013, just a year before Swift released '1989,' which featured "Wildest Dreams" as one of its chart-topping singles. The music video, which depicted Swift as an actress falling in love with her costar on a film set in Africa, bore striking similarities to their shared experience in 'The Giver,' which was also shot in Africa. Additionally, Swift sported dark hair in both the dystopian film and her music video.
From that moment onward, whispers spread like wildfire that Skarsgård had served as the muse behind Swift's enchanting track, "Wildest Dreams," albeit the singer herself never publicly acknowledged these rumors. Amidst their shared journey on the set of 'The Giver,' the duo was snapped enjoying a meal outdoors with their costar Katie Holmes, and Skarsgård later indulged in nostalgic tales of impromptu jam sessions with Swift on location. In a 2014 interview with TIME, he reminisced, "There was a piano stationed in the hotel lobby. Folks would take turns at the keys, crooning away. I, however, found myself most at ease on the couch, sipping my beer and belting out the tunes with unreserved enthusiasm. It was an experience truly imbued with magic."
