Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are set to captivate audiences in Anyone But You, a modern take on Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ directed by the acclaimed Will Gluck. Scheduled for release in US theaters on December 22, the rom-com follows college rivals who, reunited at a destination wedding, pretend to be a couple, only to find love in the process. Powell, known for his roles in Friends with Benefits, and Sweeney, of Euphoria fame, lead an impressive ensemble cast in this anticipated film, sparking both on-screen chemistry and off-screen rumors.
What did Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell say about Barack Obama watching their film shoot?
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith on Monday, the rom-com stars Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney shared details about their unexpected presidential encounter with Barack Obama. Sweeney and Powell reportedly found themselves in the midst of one of the most romantic scenes for Anyone But You when they noticed that Barack Obama was observing their performance.
“I’m flying in a helicopter above the Sydney Opera House, dressed in a tuxedo, I get to jump out of the helicopter and run up to the girl to confess my love for her. It was just one of those moments,” Powell recounted. “During that scene, Barack Obama is also watching us shoot that entire scene. So it was just loaded.”
Sweeney chimed in, saying, “Barack Obama happened to be at the Sydney Opera House at the exact same time we were filming that, and they’re just standing up there.” Powell continued, “So to do that scene at the Sydney Opera House, it was like presidential approval. It felt like paparazzi, no, it’s presidential detail that was hovering above the Sydney Opera House while we’re shooting that scene.”
Despite being an executive producer of the projects, Sweeney and Powell shared that they didn’t receive any feedback or notes from the former President of the United States when regarding their scene.
Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell open up about their chemistry
Leading up to the film’s release, Sweeney and Powell have been capturing attention with their on-screen chemistry, sparking discussions online. Sweeney, who also serves as an executive producer of the film, revealed that she knew she wanted to play opposite the Top Gun: Maverick star from the moment they first met.
“Well, we met each other on stage at the MTV Awards, and I automatically was like, ‘Hmmm, his timing, his timing was so perfect,” shared the Euphoria star. “Then I saw Top Gun, and I thought he was really really good in it. And I was like, ‘Let’s get on a Zoom and see if he’s interested.’ And we started zooming and we hit it off and sent him the script.And that’s the start of it all.”
For Powell, establishing chemistry with Sweeney was a natural and enjoyable process. “I think honestly, if you’re talking about somebody who’s incredibly easy to have chemistry with, we really have the best time together, and that’s what rom-coms are about.”
This chemistry was particularly crucial, especially when filming a scene where Powell’s character has a spider emerging from an unconventional place. “It’s like someone, who you know, doesn’t take themselves too seriously. And when you have to strip down naked on the side of a cliff and act like a spider’s, you know, coming out here, you know, there’s no better person to go into the trenches,” Powell added.
Sweeney chimed in, saying, “If you actually look at the scene, I start breaking down behind him.”
Fans can anticipate a crackling onscreen chemistry when Anyone But You hits theaters on Dec. 22.
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