The anteater scene in Anyone But You, explained

Directed by Will Gluck, the romantic comedy Anyone But You, was released on December 22, 2023, and was a long-awaited project. The film had a lot of excitement around it as it is reportedly a modern version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The film made its way to Netflix on April 26, 2024, and has sparked several discussions among viewers.

However, the one scene that grabbed the viewers' attention was the unexpected "anteater" scene, which was compared to other iconic movie moments like Saltburn or Joy Ride. It became a hot topic of conversation among viewers and even gave the film's story a fascinating turn.

The film stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as the leads with Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, and Hadley Robinson, among several others.

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What is the meaning of the anteater scene in Anyone But You?

The "anteater" scene from Anyone But You has received a lot of attention on social media, especially Reddit, TikTok, and X. A TikTok discussion about the Anyone But You "anteater scene," seemingly implies that the Australian lead, Powell, explicitly displays his private parts.

Glen Powell, who plays the role of Ben in Anyone But You, spoke to Rolling Stone about the film in December 2023. When asked about his shirtless scenes, he said that they have "maxed out" their "n*dity rider" in the film.

"We maxed out our n*dity rider on this one. Took it all off. Gave the audience every dollar," Glen said.

The character's genitalia is supposedly featured in the now-famous scene, but there are debates about its actual visibility. The internet dialog seems to claim that the scene doesn't show too much while others contend that they can see more than others.

The reason the scene is being called the "anteater scene" is owing to "anteater" being a colloquial term for male genitalia. It's also important to remember that anteaters, especially, the echidna, are indigenous to Australia.

Overall, it appears that different people on TikTok have different opinions about this scene. Some thought it was funny or not as bad as they expected, while others were perplexed or shocked that it was included. Most people agree that there was an unexpected and somewhat contentious scene in the movie that provoked debate and a range of reactions from viewers.

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The plot and theme of Anyone But You

Anyone But You follows Ben and Bea, who have previously gone on a wonderful first date only for things to end in disaster. Following that, they are "sworn enemies," according to Netflix Tudum, who bump into each other at a wedding in Australia. The two pretend to be a couple to make Ben's ex jealous and stop Bea's parents from trying to force her back to her ex.

Over the course of the film, they learn to live together as their fictional romance develops and finally blossoms into true love. The film looks into themes of breaking free of the past and embracing the present moment. Ben and Bea need to let go of their own problems and deal with their past relationships.

As the characters cope with the challenges of their relationship, the film addresses both the pros and cons of their deceit. The primary focus of the movie is the power of communication and its capacity to "fix things that have broken."

Anyone But You tells the story of Ben and Bea who go from enemies to lovers and is set in the Australian landscape. Fans have noted that the film's direction and photography need a special mention as they managed to bring the landscape to life.

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Anyone But You is currently available to stream on Netflix.