Henry Cavill’s Argylle promises to be an epic spy thriller — and fans are adamant that Taylor Swift is the mastermind behind the film’s source material.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Argylle hits theaters on February 24 and follows Cavill, 40, as the titular character who is drawn into a treasure hunt that takes him around the world. His troubled past, however, could jeopardize his mission.
The movie, which also stars Bryce Dallas Howard, is based on the forthcoming novel by debut author Elly Conway. While movies and TV shows based on unreleased books aren’t unheard of, the little-known information about Conway has fans questioning who may have actually penned the story.
Conway’s author bio on the Penguin Random House website fuels suspicions even further. “Elly Conway was born and raised in upstate New York. She wrote her first novel about Agent Argylle while working as a waitress in a late-night diner,” the short description reads. While an Instagram account for the author exists, it features no photos and is only followed by nine people — including Howard, 42.
Swift, meanwhile, has been known for collaborating on projects under a fake name. In 2016, she cowrote Rihanna’s “This Is What You Came For” with now-ex Calvin Harris under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. On her 2020 release Evermore, she credited then-boyfriend Joe Alwyn — from whom she split in April — for three songs under the faux moniker William Bowery. (Alwyn also cowrote the track “Sweet Nothing” off her 2022 record, Midnights.)
Swift confirmed Alwyn was the true songwriter in her Disney+ concert special, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, which aired later that year. “There’s been a lot of discussion about William Bowery and his identity because he’s not a real person. So, William Bowery is Joe, as we know,” she told producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, praising him for playing the “piano beautifully” and “making things up and kind of creating things” on a whim.
Swift — who made her directorial debut in 2022 with her All Too Well: The Short Film and is set to direct her first feature with Searchlight Pictures in the near future — is also known for dropping Easter eggs in her work, which often predict the singer’s next big announcement.
However, while many of the theories surrounding Swift’s connection to Argylle are persuasive, Vaughn officially denied the rumors in January 2024 — even though his Swiftie daughter had hoped differently.
“There is an Elly Conway who wrote the book, but it’s not Taylor Swift,” he told Rolling Stone. “And I say that because I imagine Taylor Swift has a load of people trying to jump on her bandwagon left, right and center. 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.”
Since the Swift conspiracies have been debunked, conversations about who Conway could actually be have begun to spark, with many believing Conway is actually Tammy Cohen. Not only is the British native an author of past spy novels, but her agent, Felicity Blunt, is married to Stanley Tucci, who appeared in Vaughn’s The King’s Man, so there is a connection to the film.
Some fans, however, won’t let go of their Swift theory. Keep scrolling for every reason fans still think the pop star wrote Argylle:
Karma Is a Cat
Swift is the proud owner of three felines — Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button — with her two eldest kitties being Scottish Folds. Argylle also features a cat of the same breed.
Another aspect of the cat connection? In a teaser trailer of the film released in October, Conway — who is also featured as a character in the film — can be seen carrying her cat around in the same type of backpack Swift wore in her 2020 documentary, Miss Americana.
Loving Her Is Red
It may be a bit of a stretch, but Swift sports a red coif during her cameo — in which she was also a novelist — in her All Too Well: The Short Film. It’s the same hair color as Conway in the film, portrayed by Howard.
The Girl on the Screen
While a Google search won’t bring up any authors named Elly Conway, it will show results for a character on the Australian soap opera Neighbours with the same name. Actress Jodi Gordon portrayed the role, making her first appearance in 2001 on December 13 — which happens to be Swift’s birthday and lucky number.
You Never Get Just What You See
Conway’s Instagram account only has 10 posts, but the first was uploaded on Swift’s birthday in 2022. (It’s also worth noting that Conway has a verified handle despite being virtually untraceable online.)
She’s Got a Place on Cornelia Street
Conway only follows 22 people on social media — with one being Cafe Reggio in NYC. The bistro is located mere minutes from Cornelia Street, the name of one of Swift’s most famous ballads — and where she used to reside with ex-boyfriend Alwyn, 32.
Say You’ll Remember Her, Standing in a Conway Studios Sweatshirt
Swift reportedly recorded much of her albums 1989 and Red (Taylor’s Version) at Conway Studios in Los Angeles — and has been seen wearing a sweatshirt with their logo displayed across the front. Could be a coincidence — or possibly inspiration for the Elly Conway pseudonym.
