Showbiz

Argylle director responds to the Taylor Swift-Elly Conway conspiracy theory

Argylle director responds to the Taylor Swift-Elly Conway conspiracy theory
Argylle trailer
Universal Pictures

Argylle director Matthew Vaughn has addressed rumours that Taylor Swift is the mysterious author of the original book the upcoming film is based on.

There has been much speculation as to who is behind the book and despite the fact it is yet to be released, a film adaptation has already been made starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa in a reported $200 million deal with Apple TV.

The plot follows author Elly Conway (Dallas Howard) who is also a character in the story who breaks the fourth wall as an introverted spy novelist who gets too close to the world of espionage she bases her books on, only further adding to the real-life enigma and intrigue of it all.

But there isn't a lot of information out there about Conway and it's led Swifties (who love a good old puzzle and Easter egg) to propose the theory that Taylor Swift is the author and has been dropping hints.

Matthew Vaughn has answered the question Swifties have been dying to know, is Taylor Swift (centre) Elly Conway? (played by Dallas Howard in the film, (right))Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop, Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images and Universal Pictures.

Some of these include wearing a Conway jumper, previously using a pseudonym, portraying herself as a red-haired novelist in one of her music videos, and the Argylle cat having an uncanny resemblance to Swift's Scottish Fold, Olivia Benson.

The theory hasn't gone unnoticed by Vaughn who has shared in a new interview how he was quizzed by his daughter as to whether the pop star was Conway.

“I’m not a big internet guy, and it was actually my daughter who came up to me — this is the power of celebrity and the internet — and said, ‘You never told me Taylor wrote the book!’” the director told Rolling Stone.

However, Swifties will be disappointed to learn that Swift is not the author of Argylle.

Vaughn added: “And I’m looking at her going, ‘What are you talking about Taylor Swift wrote the book? She didn’t write the book!’

“And I was laughing because I was like, ‘It’s not true! She didn’t write the book!’ But my daughter was convinced of it.”

“There is a real book… and it’s a really good book. And there is an Elly Conway who wrote the book, but it’s not Taylor Swift.

He continued: “And I say that because I imagine Taylor Swift has a load of people trying to jump on her bandwagon left, right, and centre. I don’t want to be a part of that club.

“I did read the conspiracies and I was like, ‘Wow, they don’t leave a stone unturned!’ But it’s not Taylor Swift. She definitely didn’t write the book.”

There we go, we have our answer.

Argylle is out in cinemas next month on Friday 2 February.

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