'Hiddleswift': Is Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston's relationship real or a 'faux-mance'?
WE LOOK at the conspiracy theories behind the relationship between Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston as experts weigh in on whether the love affair is real or fake.
Nadia Salemme
News Corp Australia NetworkJuly 7, 20165:29pm
Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift continue their world tour as they fly out of Los Angeles bound for the Gold Coast. Picture: Sharky/Polite Paparazzi/ Splash NewsSource:Supplied
LOVE is big business in Hollywood where celebrities engage in mutually beneficial "relationships" for PR purposes.
Some seem like they're made for each other and put a ring on it (Beyonce and Jay Z, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West), while others appear staged and contrived (Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk, Justin Bieber and Kourtney Kardashian).
One celebrity relationship that's dividing opinion is Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston aka "Hiddleswift".
The world's most talked-about couple are en route Down Under, where Hiddleston will shoot Thor: Ragnarok on the Gold Coast.
Speculation about the legitimacy of their love story came to a head this week after Swift's July 4 party, when a lovestruck Hiddleston wore a singlet top printed with "I love heart TS" on it.
Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston leave LAX bound for the Gold Coast. Picture: Sharky/Polite Paparazzi/Splash NewsSource:Supplied
"Hiddleswift" made its debut in June, shortly after Swift ended her much-publicised 15 month romance to DJ Calvin Harris.
Since then, Swift, 26, and Hiddleston, 35, have posed awkwardly on rocks, been on carefully co-ordinated dates in Rome, flown on private jets, danced at a Selena Gomez concert, taken couple dressing way too far, and met each other's parents (much to the disdain of Swift's ex, Harris, who pointed out she never met his mother when they dated).
Taylor Swift, pictured with her new boyfriend Tom Hiddleston having breakfast near Piazza Navona in Rome. Picture: SplashSource:Splash News Australia
So is Swift and Hiddleston's romance real, fake or an elaborate piece of performance art?
It has been dubbed a "show-mance" and "faux-mance" by some PR experts who believe the relationship has one goal — to boost their careers.
Conspiracy theories include that "Hiddleswift" is actually part of a calculated plan to make British actor Hiddleston, best known for his role in Thor, famous in Amercia, to help his campaign to be the next James Bond, or even distract from the fact that he won't win the 007 role, the LA Times reports.
What would Swift, the most famous pop starlet in the world, get out of a "fauxmance" with Hiddleston?
It has been suggested that her latest relationship is an elaborate piece of performance art, jezebel.com reports, that their PDAs are being documented for her next single or a Kanye West-style commentary about fame.
But could "Hiddleswift" be a real relationship?
Is the relationship between Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston real or is it an elaborately staged publicity stunt? Picture: Gotcha Images / Splash News Splash NewsSource:Splash News Australia
US celebrity publicist Jonathan Hay, who has worked with Rihanna and Wiz Khalifa, believes "Hiddleswift" is as much about business as it is about romantic involvement.
"There has to be a business behind it as well ... for them to be out in public and dating," Los Angeles-based Hay told News Corp Australia.
"I don't want to take anything away from their relationship, it does seem real, but even if it's all set up and staged, they could obviously still fall in love.
"When you're as famous as Taylor Swift and you have that kind of team in place, every move you make is going to be staged."
Are Justin Bieber and Kourtney Kardashian really hooking up or is it a publicity stunt? Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Supplied
Kourtney Kardashian reportedly moved on from ex-boyfriend Scott Disick to ... Biebs. Picture: WireImageSource:Getty Images
"She's worth half a billion dollars ... basically Taylor Swift, the individual, is just one part of a whole brand that's known as 'Taylor Swift'. A certain part of it has to be set up."
Even Hollywood wants a piece of "Hiddleswift", Hay said.
"I know executives in the movie industry who are lining up to get them. He (Hiddleston) brings so much attention now with Taylor Swift.
"If you get him you know that's one step away from her. If he goes to a premiere, she knows that she needs to go because if she doesn't, people will ask questions, 'is there trouble in paradise? Why wasn't she at the premiere?'"
Bradley Cooper and former Victoria's Secret model Irina Shayk have been dating for about a year and a half. Cooper was previously with Suki Waterhouse. Picture: AP Photo/Tim IrelandSource:AP
Hay said Beyonce and Jay Z, and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, were experts at the fame couple game.
"They do it so perfectly. It's a lot like House of Cards, the Underwoods, they are savages and you can see it, they play the game together.
"They want to win and they do it so well."
Even celebs who aren't in a "show-mance" are using their romantic entanglements to their advantage.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have helped make each other more famous. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:AFP
"Look how Drake and Rihanna play it out. It doesn't feel set up and staged but when Drake and Rihanna are going to go out, it's an event," Hay said.
Love — in a traditional sense — has no place in the celebrity world, Hay said.
"You want to make sure your client is on to the next one instead of falling in love," he said.
"Falling in love is dangerous — it's bad for business. I know that sounds bad but you have to think of it from a product standpoint."
Whether Swift or Hiddleston's relationship is real or fake, there's no doubt we'll still be talking about "Hiddleswift" at least until Taylor Swift's next album.
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