Washington [US], April 24 : Actor Glen Powell gave credit to his 'Anyone But You' co-star Sydney Sweeney for the successful promotion of the film, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
He praised the 'Euphoria' star for her contribution to the marketing strategy that made the film a romantic comedy blockbuster. On the project, Sweeney also held the position of executive producer.
"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," Powell explained in an interview with The New York Times.
"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."
'Anyone But You''s marketing campaign, which heavily contributed to its box office success, included romantic photos of the film's leads, longing gazes between the duo on red carpets, flirtatious moments in interviews and viral TikTok videos.
Powell and his long-term partner allegedly divorcing during the film's press tour fueled romance rumours on social media, despite the fact that Sweeney remains engaged to Jonathan Davino, who also serves as an executive producer on the picture.
"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," Sweeney shared. "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."
The Will Gluck-directed film, largely based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, follows Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), whose affection to each other turns icy after one night goes wrong. However, when they are suddenly reunited at a wedding in Australia, they decide to pretend to be together.
While 'Anyone But You' has not only become the highest-grossing romantic comedy in years, earning more than 200 million dollars worldwide, the film also helped with the so-called rom-com revival, hopefully paving the way for future films.
"You've got to get the ingredients in the meal just right: the story, the cast, the filmmakers, the chemistry, the ending," Tom Rothman, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, who also oversees Columbia, said of finding success within the rom-com movie genre, adding that it "is a delicate task. So, if you're going to make one and go for it theatrically, it better be good," according to The Hollywood Reporter.