Two months ago, Taylor Swift re-released her second of six albums that will get fresh recordings following Scooter Braun selling her masters. The album was Red, which originally came out in 2012 following reports of Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal sharing a short-lived romance. So of course when Red (Taylor’s Version) came out, there was a reignited interest in the exes' love affair. The latest development has Gyllenhaal perhaps doing a little shade-throwing.
The critically-acclaimed actor recently posed for W Magazine in a red button-up shirt and sunglasses on the top of his head that look scary similar to a pair Taylor Swift wore in her Red era. Check it out:
Taylor Swift famously donned red heart sunglasses in the music video for “22,” and here is Jake Gyllenhaal in 2022 going for a similar look. Is it a nod to his famous ex? Maybe, maybe not. The magazine even initially captioned the photo as “Red (Jake’s Version)” before changing it. Fans were having a field day with the caption, saying things like “Whoever wrote that caption deserves a raise,” “The caption lmao y’all playing a dangerous game” and “Are y’all sure about that caption.” The publication has since backtracked with a completely different one.
Famously, Taylor Swift allegedly used a number of hints throughout Red to reference Jake Gyllenhaal. In the opening track of the record she says “Just twin fire signs, four blue eyes,” which points out Swift and Gyllenhaal both having the fire sign of Sagittarius on the Zodiac and the same eye color.
Most famously, the fan-favorite song “All Too Well” is said to be about the actor as well, which many fans consider to be among Taylor Swift’s best work. With the release of Red (Taylor’s Version), the singer released a 10-minute version of the song where more lyrics have led fans to point more clues at Jake Gyllenhaal.
For example, in one lyric she says “Sipping coffee like you’re on a late night show,” to which the actor has been on many, and in another, she sings “You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine and that made me want to die,” which could be in reference to their age gap of nine years. It’s a heartbreaking song, and due to the connection, Jake Gyllenhaal can find himself under the bus for many Swiftie fans.
It’s been ten years since Red was originally released and chances are Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal hold no grudges between each other as they enjoy their own happy relationships. It is an interesting editorial choice for Gyllenhaal to pose in Red attire for a photoshoot after the recent attention. Is it a nod or coincidence? We'll leave it to you to decide.
