Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney “leaned into” romance rumours

The pair’s efforts to boost public interest were successful, with their film "Anyone But You" grossing over $200 million.

Powell, aged 35, and Sweeney, aged 26, have recently achieved success with their film "Anyone But You," which grossed over $200 million in the international box office. In a recent interview, the pair discussed their successful marketing strategy, which included leveraging rumors of romance to promote the film.

Before the movie's release, there was speculation that Powell and Sweeney were in a relationship off-screen. This buzz began after Powell broke up with his girlfriend Gigi Paris in April 2023. However, Powell and Sweeney told The New York Times that these rumours actually helped promote the film.

In the lead-up to the movie's premiere, Powell and Sweeney were frequently spotted together in Australia, posing closely for photos and displaying playful behavior during interviews. Powell explained, “The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry."

Sweeney and Powell made several pre-release interview appearances, including one with MTV Movies where they demonstrated their knowledge of each other.

Sweeney, also an executive producer through her company Fifty-Fifty Films, stated that she played a significant role in the marketing strategy for the Columbia Pictures film. This included actively promoting rumors of romance to create excitement around the movie.

Sweeney informed The Times that she was present on all marketing-related calls in the months before the film's launch.

"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,” she said. “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.”

Her endeavors to boost public interest in "Anyone But You" were successful. Despite being released in December 2023, the film still ranks as the 10th highest-grossing release of 2024 in the domestic box office.