- Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron became close while Swift was recording her album "Red."
- They seemed inseparable throughout 2012 and Swift dedicated her song "22" to Agron, among other friends.
Before Taylor Swift was sparking headlines about "squad goals" or attracting throngs of Hollywood stars to The Eras Tour, she and Dianna Agron were nearly inseparable.
The "Style" singer and "Glee" star became close in 2012 and were quickly identified in the media as "blonde BFFs." However, the following year, Swift and Agron suddenly seemed to lose touch. They haven't been spotted together since 2014.
Keep scrolling to see everything we know about the once-close pair.
They became friends while Swift was working on 'Red'
It's unclear how and when Swift and Agron met. In 2010 and 2011, Swift became friendly with "Glee" stars like Cory Monteith and Chord Overstreet, so it's possible the women were introduced by Agron's castmates. They both attended the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, but there's no evidence they interacted.
Swift and Agron were spotted in public for the first time on September 4, 2011 at a flea market in Los Angeles. Swift was between shows on the Speak Now World Tour, while Agron had recently wrapped a series of Glee Live! concerts.
By this time, we know that Swift was in the process of creating her fourth album because she had already written "All Too Well."
According to her diary excerpts (released alongside "Lover" in 2019), the beloved song was conceived in February 2011. She decided to name the album "Red" in September 2011.
January 7, 2012: Agron tweeted that Swift looked 'beautiful' on the cover of Vogue
Swift was photographed by Mario Testino for the February 2012 issue of Vogue, for which she was given retro-style bangs. According to a behind-the-scenes video, the photoshoot took place on the eve of her 22nd birthday.
"Taylor looks all kinds of 70's beautiful....and love a hat! Great job," Agron wrote on Twitter, tagging both Vogue and Swift.
March 25, 2012: Swift and Agron went to see 'The Hunger Games' together
A group of fans snapped a photo with Swift and Agron at the theater during the movie's opening weekend.
April 12, 2012: Agron shut down rumors that she was in a 'love triangle' with Swift and Tim Tebow
For some reason, in early 2012, tabloids ran wild with a theory that Agron was dating NFL quarterback Tim Tebow while Swift was harboring a "puppy dog" crush on him.
During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Agron quashed the rumors. She clarified that she had a "10-minute chat" with Tebow and hadn't seen him since.
Kimmel also asked her to address her relationship with Swift: "Are you dating her? That would be great."
"Wouldn't that be juicy?" Agron replied, blowing a kiss to the camera and adding, "Hi Taylor."
April 24, 2012: They wore vintage gowns and flower crowns to celebrate Shirley MacLaine's birthday
Swift, who costarred with MacLaine in the 2010 film "Valentine's Day," played dress-up with Agron and two more friends in honor of the actor's 78th birthday. The small group shared photos of the occasion on social media, though most have since been deleted.
"We dressed up full-time fancy and went out in celebration of Shirley MacLaine's birthday," Swift wrote on Twitter, per E! News.
"Had a long day & don't know what to celebrate later…? Because you need a moment to be young? Find your moments," Agron added in her own tweet.
April 28, 2012: Swift celebrated Agron's 26th birthday
Swift wore a tiger costume for Agron's circus-themed birthday party, which she called "the most magical night" on Twitter.
—Taylor Swift Updates (@UpdatingSwiftly) April 29, 2023
"The blonde BFFs have been spending a lot of time together as of late," E! News wrote.
May 15, 2012: They dined together in Los Angeles
Paparazzi caught Swift and Agron leaving Dominick's, an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood, after a Tuesday night dinner.
July 4, 2012: Swift and Agron spent the holiday in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
Swift was spotted in the famous East Coast town during Fourth of July weekend, mostly hanging out at the Kennedy compound. She was accompanied by Agron and their friend Claire Kislinger (neé Winter), according to the Boston Herald and Us Weekly.
Kerry Townsend, the granddaughter of Ethel Kennedy, tweeted at the time: "Arrived at my Grandma's house to find her chilling with Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron. I hope I'm this cool when I'm 83!"
October 22, 2012: Swift released 'Red,' which includes a dedication to Agron
Swift is known for leaving coded messages for fans in the liner notes of her album. The secret message for "22" was four names: "Ashley Dianna Claire Selena."
In addition to Agron and Kislinger, these most likely refer to stylist Ashley Avignone and Selena Gomez. The song is about spending a carefree night with friends, though hints of ill-advised romance are sprinkled in: "You look like bad news / I gotta have you."
There could be another reference to Agron in the liner notes for "Everything Has Changed." The song's secret message is "Hyannis Port," where Swift spent some time with green-eyed Conor Kennedy that summer. ("All I've seen since 18 hours ago / Is green eyes and freckles and your smile," Swift sings.)
However, many fans have noticed that "Hyannis Port" is actually misspelled in the liner notes as "Hyiannis Port," which mirrors the spelling of Dianna (who also has green eyes).
The day that "Red" was released, Agron congratulated Swift on Twitter with a screenshot of her phone playing "Everything Has Changed."
—Dianna Agron (@DiannaAgron) October 22, 2012
December 3, 2012: Swift and Agron both attended the Ripple of Hope gala
Swift and Conor Kennedy reportedly split in October 2012 after a few months of dating. However, later that year, Swift was still honored with the Ripple of Hope Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights.
The annual gala was held at the Mariott Marquis in New York City. According to E! News, Swift had Agron "by her side" throughout the event. She also performed "Starlight," a song from "Red" that was inspired by Ethel and Bobby Kennedy.
"Was a beautiful night last night. The RFK foundation provides help to so many truly deserving," Agron tweeted. "Plus @taylorswift13 was truly lovely."
—Dianna Agron (@DiannaAgron) December 4, 2012
April 2013: A fake artice, which claimed Swift and Agron were dating, went semi-viral
Shortly after Swift embarked on the Red Tour, a doctored screenshot from a fake tabloid began circulating on Twitter. The headline from Stars Daily, which does not exist, said "Taylor Swift is in a new relationship...but it's not what you expected."
"Country pop singer Taylor Swift has confirmed being in a relationship with Glee star Dianna Agron," the fake article continued. "Lesbi-honest! Right after the rumors were confirmed, the two were spotted out on a dinner date." (The attached photo was from Swift and Agron's dinner at Dominick's in 2012.)
On April 23, 2013, "Skins" actor Dakota Blue Richards tweeted about the rumor: "So apparently Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron are dating. Sorry Brangelina, you just got taken over as the worlds hottest couple."
Neither Swift nor Agron publicly responded to the rumor. But Richards' reaction seemed to increase its virality, and the following day, Agron deleted her Tumblr.
"Thank you friends for following the journey," she wrote in her final post. "But as an old chapter closes, a new chapter begins."
September 4, 2013: Swift, Agron, and other friends went to a Fun. concert
"Modern Family" star Sarah Hyland shared a video from backstage at the Fun. concert, which took place at the Greek in Los Angeles. Swift is featured in the short clip, while Agron is briefly shown standing off to the side.
"Watching @OurNameIsFun live tonight at the Greek was unforgettable," Swift wrote on Twitter, per Taste of Country. "Such incredible musicians and showmen. It was just SO good."
Two days later, Agron also tweeted an inside joke about the concert, tagging Swift.
This seemed to be the last time they intentionally hung out (at least in public).
October 27, 2014: Swift released the deluxe version of '1989,' which includes a breakup song called 'Wonderland'
The lyrics of "Wonderland" clearly reference "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll. When Swift performed the "1989" deluxe track as a surprise song on The Eras Tour, she said it was a "twisted" take on the fairy tale.
In the song, Swift describes her muse as having green eyes and a "Cheshire Cat smile." She says they "fell down the rabbit hole" and got lost in Wonderland, all without considering the consequences.
"Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?" she sings in the pre-chorus, a reference to Alice's observation that "curiosity often leads to trouble."
Swift concludes in the bridge: "In the end, in Wonderland / We both went mad."
Some fans have drawn a connection between "Wonderland" and Agron, who has repeatedly tweeted about her love for Alice.
"I love 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Hobbit,'" Agron said in a 2011 interview with Elle. "Those books got me into reading and storytelling — I could escape to a different world."
Indeed, Agron reportedly had a Tumblr, deleted in 2013, that was called "felldowntherabbithole."
She also had a reference to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" tattooed on her ribcage: "We're all mad here," which is a quote from the Cheshire Cat. Fans noticed that Agron was in the process of removing her tattoo in 2017.
November 23, 2014: They had a brief interaction at the 2014 American Music Awards
Although she spent most of the evening with Karlie Kloss, photographers did catch Swift having a moment with Agron at the 2014 AMAs, where she also performed her single "Blank Space."
This was the last time Swift and Agron were seen together in public. Notably, Agron did not appear among Swift's many celebrity friends in the 2015 "Bad Blood" music video, which seemed to confirm they were no longer close.
October 5, 2019: Agron went to 'SNL' when Swift was the musical guest
Agron was photographed leaving 30 Rock after "Saturday Night Live" finished filming. Swift was that night's musical guest — she performed "False God" and the title track from "Lover" — but there's no evidence she interacted with Agron inside.
May 7, 2023: Agron was asked about rumors that she and Swift were 'in a relationship'
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Agron was asked about her influence on Swift's music, specifically "22."
"Me? Oh, if only! That's more because of a friendship than being the inspiration for the song," she replied. "But I would not be the person to ask about that. I cannot claim that!"
The reporter also asked how Agron felt about being "shipped" with Swift, which he explained as, "You two were made out by the media and some fans to be in a relationship."
In response, Agron described the speculation as "so interesting."
"I… I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so wildly untrue. That's funny," she said.