Almost exactly a year ago rumors started floating around that Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney were romantically involved after the Top Gun: Maverick star’s ex Gigi Paris unfollowed him on Instagram and he was seen with his Anyone But You co-star at CinemaCon. The stars of the 2023 rom-com have undeniable chemistry, and while they denied the rumors about them being romantically involved, Powell recently opened up about all that speculation and how they leaned into it to promote their project.
During those few months when there were allegations surrounding Powell, his ex, Sweeney and her fiancé Jonathan Davino, the actors witnessed the public discourse play out how they expected it to, NYT reported. In the past, the Twisters lead has said that what happened “felt disorienting and unfair,” however he also noted that being the subject of rumors is part of the job too. So, now, speaking about the affair gossip, the Hitman star admitted that they kind of played into all of this, saying:
The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry. That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.
They do indeed have great chemistry, and after Anyone But You premiered it was a surprise box office success as folks fell head over heels for Glen Powell, Sydney Sweeney and their chemistry.
While the rumors surrounding the two actors weren’t great, considering they were both in separate relationships, they worked to use it to their advantage. As Powell said, they wanted the audience to see the “fun and chemistry” they shared, and as people were talking about their off-screen chemistry they leaned into it.
Speaking about the marketing surrounding Anyone But You, Sydney Sweeney, who was also a producer on the film, explained that they wanted to have a conversation with the audience and the narrative they created. She said:
I was on every call. I was in text group chats. I was probably keeping everybody over at Sony marketing and distribution awake at night because I couldn’t stop with ideas. I wanted to make sure that we were actively having a conversation with the audience as we were promoting this film, because at the end of the day, they’re the ones who created the entire narrative.
They say all press is good press, and in this case, Sweeney and Powell took what could have been truly terrible publicity and turned it into something that helped their movie succeed.
Now, as Anyone But You becomes available with a Netflix subscription, we can look back at what happened at the start of the film’s promotion cycle and consider the ways it impacted it. As Glen Powell said, them leaning into the discourse surrounding him and Sweeney “worked wonderfully.”
Following the release of Anyone But You, it was quickly reported that Powell and Sweeney are planning their next project, because clearly they work well together, and audiences love them (especially now that the affair rumors have been put to sleep).
As we wait for Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell to collaborate again, make sure to check out the 2024 movie schedule, because they both have a very exciting year planned. While the Euphoria star has already released two movies, Madame Web and Immaculate, the Set It Up actor is gearing up for a big summer as he’s set to release Twisters and Hitman. So, overall, I think it’s safe to say that these two savvy folks are worth paying attention to because Anyone But You was just the beginning.