"Sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit" — Glen Powell on how rumored romance with Sydney Sweeney helped Anyone But You

Anyone But You became a rare phenomenon in the English-language rom-com scenario, where many films failed big in recent years. Especially after the pandemic, it seemed like there was no way back for the genre, but the Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell film has done it. It has reached levels of success that almost no one expected from the offbeat Shakespeare adaptation.

A lot of credit for this success goes to the clever promotion, mostly spearheaded by Sydney Sweeney, who is currently one of the busiest Hollywood stars in the world.

A part of the reason Anyone But You became a genre-defying hit was because of how speculation played out all around the globe, generating massive interest in the lives of Sweeney and Powell, which in turn redirected the interest to their movie.

Interestingly, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, who recently spoke to the New York Times as the film rolled out on Netflix, revealed how they used this momentum to promote the movie. Powell elaborated:

"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."

The rom-com couple leaned into the narrative well, and soon fans were drawn into the story. It led to Anyone But You witnessing a surge in popularity. Though there were plenty of other reasons for the film's popularity, this was an especially intriguing one.

---

Speculation surrounding Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney propelled Anyone But You to great heights

The proportion for the Sydney Sweeney-led romantic comedy was elaborate, with the actress doing a lot through her social media activity to generate interest. However, what caught everyone's eye were the many social media posts from Powell and Sweeney together, which often saw them in picturesque Australia.

Rumors soon started swirling about a secret romance, with Powell breaking up with his long-term girlfriend. However, Sweeney was still engaged to Jonathan Davino. What the actors did was lean into the narrative of the affair and let the viewers take charge. They did very little.

Sweeney, who was also involved as an executive producer, actively contributed to the marketing. 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."

Overall, everything worked out for the duo and Sweeney's marketing tactics. Anyone But You made $219 million at the box office, almost ten times its budget. It also opened the doors for the genre, which can now resurface with a new generation of stars and creatives.

---

Anyone But You is loosely based on the side characters of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. It follows Bea and Ben's incompatible love affair as they navigate their paths to each other.

The synopsis for the film reads:

"Despite having an amazing first date, Bea and Ben's initial attraction quickly turns sour. When they unexpectedly find themselves at a destination wedding in Australia, the pair pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances."

The cast includes Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths.

---

Anyone But You is currently available for streaming on Netflix.