Tom Hiddleston Defends Whirlwind Relationship with Taylor Swift: 'Of Course It Was Real'

Tom Hiddleston‘s whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift might have been short-lived, but it was definitely real.

The actor, 35, opened up about his highly publicized romance with the “Bad Blood” singer, defending against critics who speculated that the relationship was nothing but a publicity stunt.

“Of course it was real,” Hiddleston shared in the March issue of GQ. “Taylor is an amazing woman. She’s generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time.”

Though Swift, 27, was fresh off a breakup with Calvin Harris when she began dating Hiddleston, the actor said both he and the singer were looking for a genuine connection at the time.

“We decided to go out for dinner, we decided to travel…She’s incredible,” he said.

During their 3-month courtship, the pair met each other’s parents, celebrated July 4th together at Swift’s annual star-studded bash and jet set around the world, enjoying PDA-filled trips to Italy, Australia and everything in between. (He also famously wore an “I Heart T.S.” tank at her Fourth of July party, which he vigorously defended in the interview.)

So what ultimately led to their split? It turns out, it was the very thing they were known best for: living out their relationship in the public.

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“A relationship in the limelight… A relationship always takes work. And it’s not just the limelight. It’s everything else,” he said.

But looking back, Hiddleston said he has no regrets.

“You have to fight for love,” he said. “You can’t live in fear of what people might say. You know, you have to be true to yourself.”