Remember those endless TikToks and Reddit threads that couldn’t get enough of Glenn Powell and Sydney Sweeney during the Anyone but You press tour? You couldn’t scroll through social media without catching a clip of the pair laughing, flirting, or looking way too into each other on red carpets and in interviews. The chemistry was explosive, electric — and exactly what rom-com fans live for.
But what seemed like just another dose of Hollywood magic turned out to have a very real and painful consequence.
🚨 Real-Life Romance… or Just Really Good PR?
While fans were obsessively “shipping” Powell and Sweeney, both stars were publicly engaged to other people. Glenn Powell was with model Gigi Paris, while Sydney Sweeney was engaged to Jonathan Davino. Yet, the photos and behind-the-scenes footage told a different story — one that blurred the lines between reel and real.
The couple looked like a match made in rom-com heaven. Sweeney and Powell were often caught looking just a little too cozy on set. Naturally, the internet lit up with rumors. But here’s the kicker — neither of them tried to shut it down. Instead, the speculation was left to simmer and stir up curiosity.
And surprise, surprise… it worked.
The buzz boosted Anyone but You at the box office, thanks to fans who were rooting for a real-life love story. But while tickets were selling and social media was thriving, Powell’s actual relationship with Paris was crumbling behind the scenes.
💔 Gigi Paris Finally Breaks Her Silence
Fast forward to June 10, 2025 — Gigi Paris decided it was time to set the record straight. Speaking on the Too Much podcast hosted by Emma Paige, Paris opened up for the first time about what really went down during that whirlwind of a press tour.
She recalled the moment she first noticed the internet's obsession with her fiancé and Sweeney. “The whole world is watching,” she warned Powell, urging him to “proceed with caution, please.”
That plea, according to Paris, didn’t land well. It was the beginning of the end. Their relationship started to spiral, and communication became strained. The tension between them escalated when Paris was planning to fly out to Australia — where the film was being shot — only to receive a call from Powell asking her not to come.
“The producers and I have discussed that I think it’s best that you don’t come to visit,” Powell told her, Paris revealed.
That moment, she said, was when she felt her love for him begin to slip away. She called it quits shortly afterward — only to later learn what really hurt the most: Powell and Sweeney were leaning into the dating rumors. Deliberately.
🎬 When Chemistry Becomes a Marketing Tool
In hindsight, Powell didn’t hide the fact that their playful dynamic was strategic. In a New York Times interview that surfaced nearly a year after his breakup with Paris, Powell explained:
“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.”
That comment, while charming in a PR-savvy way, didn’t sit well with Paris. On the podcast, she expressed the deep sting she felt from how her relationship seemed to become collateral damage in a publicity campaign.
“I don’t know if there was a relationship there or not,” she admitted, “but then they came out to say it was all a PR scheme at the expense of our relationship.”
What Paris wanted wasn’t drama. It wasn’t an apology tour or a big media statement. It was simple: respect.
“Just don’t make a fool out of someone you’ve been with for over three years, talking about forever with,” she said. “Just have some decency.”
🕵️ The Sydney Sweeney Factor
And here's where the plot thickens.
Sydney Sweeney, too, has recently split from her fiancé, Jonathan Davino. That development only added fuel to the already flaming speculation that maybe — just maybe — the Powell-Sweeney relationship wasn’t just for the cameras.
While neither Sweeney nor Powell has confirmed anything romantic between them, the timing is chef’s kiss for conspiracy theorists and celebrity gossip fiends. The vibes? Messy, but addictive.
Let’s face it: we’ve seen this before. Hollywood’s no stranger to blurred lines between reality and fiction. But every once in a while, someone who wasn’t meant to be part of the narrative — like Paris — gets caught in the crossfire.
🔥 What We’re All Thinking (But No One’s Saying)
Look, it’s no shocker that a hot on-screen duo might ride the wave of speculation to sell movie tickets. That’s as old-school Hollywood as it gets. But there’s something that feels off when the line between good publicity and emotional manipulation starts to fade.
Sure, Powell and Sweeney sold the heck out of Anyone but You. Fans couldn’t get enough. But the behind-the-scenes drama added a darker twist to the romantic fairytale fans thought they were supporting.
You have to ask: was it worth it?
Was a rom-com’s marketing success really worth the breakdown of a real-life relationship? Or, if you’re being cynical, was the breakup just inevitable — with the press tour simply speeding up the clock?
🧩 Final Thoughts: Love, Lies & Box Office Buzz
This whole saga is a classic case of Hollywood doing what it does best: turning real lives into entertainment. But this time, the story didn’t end with a happily-ever-after — at least not for everyone.
Gigi Paris’ heartbreak wasn’t part of the movie, but her voice brought a sobering reality to the spotlight. Behind the red carpets and the viral interviews was a woman who felt sidelined and dismissed — not just by her partner, but by an entire machine built to blur fact and fiction for profit.
And as for Powell and Sweeney? Whether they’re actually dating or just master PR puppeteers, they’ve mastered the art of modern movie marketing. But let’s not forget: there's always someone behind the scenes whose heart doesn’t make it into the blooper reel.
TL;DR:
-
Glenn Powell and Sydney Sweeney's flirty press tour helped Anyone but You blow up — but came at a personal cost.
-
Gigi Paris, Powell’s ex-fiancée, said the buzz around the duo played a huge part in their breakup.
-
Paris shared emotional details on a podcast, revealing how she felt disrespected and blindsided.
-
Powell later admitted they leaned into the chemistry rumors — for the sake of selling the rom-com.
-
Sweeney’s recent split added more heat to the rumors, leaving fans wondering: was it PR or something real all along?
Login