Actor Glen Powell has publicly addressed the rumors surrounding his breakup with Gigi Paris and speculation about a romance with costar Sydney Sweeney three months after the split. Speaking to GQ on September 9, Powell shared his perspective on the situation and the challenges of maintaining privacy amid public interest.
Glen Powell Responds to Relationship Speculation
Following a breakup in 2023 after three years together, Powell’s former partner Gigi Paris spoke out in June about their split, claiming that the producers of “Anyone But You” prevented her from visiting the set during the time rumors swirled about Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Now, Powell has offered his side of the story.
In his GQ interview, Powell expressed enduring respect for Paris, stating,
I will always have nothing but love for her and respect for her,
—Glen Powell. He acknowledged that when relationships end, people often have different stories:
Everybody’s always going to have their own narrative on things and all that. And she’s welcome to it.
—Glen Powell. He further reflected on the difficulty of breakups:
Relationships are really hard. And when two people break up, they each go to their own brunch and they will each tell their own narrative.
—Glen Powell.
Rather than engaging with the noisy speculation about his private life, Powell revealed how advice from his “Top Gun: Maverick” co-star Tom Cruise has helped him cope:
He basically said, ‘Hey, it’s going to get really, really loud. It’s your job to just turn the volume down,’
—Glen Powell.
‘Just remember you have your hand on that switch. You have your hand on the ability to turn up that noise or turn it down.’ And really just turning down the noise and trusting your own gut has been a real godsend for me.
—Glen Powell.
Gigi Paris Shares Her Perspective on the Breakup
Before Powell’s statement, Paris spoke about the breakup and the pressure from the media on the “Too Much” podcast. She explained the difficult choice she faced: I had two options, she said, then added,
I could either pretend like I was going along with everything and have everyone wonder, like, ‘Are they hooking up? Are they not hooking up? Is she okay with this? What the f–k?’ Or stand up for myself and say, ‘No, I’m actually not okay with this, and I’m walking away.’ So that’s what I decided to do.
—Gigi Paris.
Paris confessed she felt heartbroken, stating, I was shattered.
Though she acknowledged challenges in the relationship prior to media attention during the “Anyone But You” press tour, Paris emphasized that the public handling of the situation was particularly painful:
I just wanted respect, especially if it’s gonna be public,
—Gigi Paris.
Like, don’t make an ass out of me. Don’t make a fool out of someone you’ve been with for over three years, talking about forever with. Just have some decency, you know? And at the end of the day, it was like, ‘Well, work comes first.’ And if that’s the case, power to you, that’s your priority. I gotta walk away.
—Gigi Paris.
She added candidly,
What sucked was how it was handled. I felt like I was just fed to the dogs.
—Gigi Paris.
Clarifications on Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s Relationship
Following the release of “Anyone But You” in December 2023, Powell and costar Sydney Sweeney addressed rumors about their relationship, maintaining that they have always been just friends. In an April 2024 interview with The New York Times, Powell described their onscreen dynamic and denied any romantic involvement off camera:
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.
—Glen Powell.
Famous Co-Stars with Strong Onscreen Chemistry Who Never Dated
Numerous well-known actors have had close working relationships and remarkable onscreen chemistry without ever dating in real life. Here are several notable examples.
Emma Watson and Tom Felton’s Friendship Beyond Hogwarts
Emma Watson revealed during the 20th anniversary of the Harry Potter series that she had a childhood crush on Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy. She recalled the excitement of seeing his number on the call sheet for
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
:
I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was No. 7, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day,
—Emma Watson. Yet, Felton regarded her more as a younger sister, saying,
He was three years above me and so for him he was like, ‘You’re like my little sister.’
—Emma Watson. Watson also put to rest dating rumors in British Vogue, saying,
We speak most weeks,
—Emma Watson.
and we just think it’s sweet.
—Emma Watson.
Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer’s Onscreen Romance Without Reality
The actors who portrayed Rachel and Ross on “Friends” admitted they had brief crushes but never crossed romantic boundaries due to existing relationships at the time. Schwimmer explained,
At some point, we were both crushing hard on each other, but it was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship, and we never crossed that boundary,
—David Schwimmer. Aniston recalled,
Honestly, I remember saying one time to David, ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television.’ And sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop.
—Jennifer Aniston. She concluded that their love for each other was channeled into their characters:
just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel.
—Jennifer Aniston.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s Lifelong Friendship
Despite fan speculation following their iconic performances in “Titanic,” Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have remained close friends rather than romantic partners. Winslet described their bond as lifelong during an interview with The Guardian, emphasizing a deep connection that has grown stronger over two decades, highlighted by their support for each other at events such as the Golden Globes.
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s Close but Professional Bond
Though their electrifying chemistry in “A Star Is Born” sparked fan theories, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper insisted their relationship was strictly professional. Gaga noted their immediate connection:
the second that I saw him.
—Lady Gaga. Following their memorable 2019 Oscars performance, Gaga addressed rumors directly:
Yes, people saw love and—guess what—that’s what we wanted you to see.
—Lady Gaga. Cooper later confirmed that their intense onstage interaction was part of the acting:
They kind of fall in love in that scene in the film,
—Bradley Cooper.
It’s that explosive moment that happens to them on a stage in front of thousands of people…It would have been so weird if we were both on stools facing the audience.
—Bradley Cooper.
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves’ Long-Standing Friendship
Rumors of a romance have circulated since Bullock and Reeves co-starred in “Speed” (1994), but they have remained close friends. Bullock denied any romantic involvement in an Esquire interview, describing Reeves as someone who treats his friends with respect:
Keanu’s a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he’s ever dated. I don’t think there’s anyone who has something horrible to say about him. So maybe we could have survived. I don’t know. But we didn’t have to survive anything. We just get to grow up together on parallel roads and tip our hats and meet for a dinner and try to work together. And the longer time goes on, the more in awe I am of the human being. Would I have been able to say that if he had dumped me and made me angry? Probably not.
Bullock praised Reeves’ thoughtfulness, sharing that after mentioning she had never tried champagne and truffles, he discreetly delivered those items with flowers:
I just thought you might want to try champagne and truffles, to see what it’s like.
—Sandra Bullock.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s Deep Friendship
Though Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have played romance leads in multiple films, including “La La Land,” the actors have never dated. Stone described Gosling as a “dear, wonderful friend,” stating during the 2018 Telluride Film Festival,
I can’t even imagine what my life would be without Ryan.
—Emma Stone. She added,
He’s so special. It makes me emotional.
—Emma Stone. Gosling credited their close working relationship for bringing out the best performances:
I think it brings the best out of [us] because you know one another, and you are able to help each other in a way that you can’t if you’re strangers.
—Ryan Gosling.
John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer’s Close Bond Beyond “The Office”
Although their characters Jim and Pam were beloved TV romantic partners, Krasinski and Fischer’s relationship has remained firmly platonic. Fischer described their real dynamic during a 2016 “Watch What Happens Live” appearance:
There’s like a real part of me that is Pam and a real part of him that’s Jim and those parts of us were genuinely in love with one another,
—Jenna Fischer.
But in real life we aren’t totally Pam and totally Jim, so in real life we’re not the perfect match…he was like a type of spouse that I had for a long time, he was my partner and we will always be close because of it.
—Jenna Fischer. Krasinski later clarified,
I think we both feel it’s such an honor to be a part of that relationship. As far as how she was quoted about saying we were ‘genuinely in love,’ I think that was taken wildly out of context and I feel bad for her.
—John Krasinski.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence’s Strong Professional Connection
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, who appeared together in “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle,” have been the subject of dating rumors over the years, all of which they have denied. Cooper responded to Howard Stern’s direct question in 2015 with a firm refusal:
Never. It’s just not the way we are together.
—Bradley Cooper. When asked about dating by Entertainment Tonight at the 2013 Golden Globes, Cooper joked,
Oh my god. That’s very funny. No, my God, no.
—Bradley Cooper.
Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson Maintained Professionalism
After co-starring in
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,”
fans hoped for real-life romance between Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, but it never developed. McConaughey told Howard Stern in 2020 that professionalism was his priority:
I’ve always tried to keep it professional and the people I worked with, I must say, did it well,
—Matthew McConaughey.
Maybe we had certain crushes on each other at certain times but we always just kept it professional.
—Matthew McConaughey.
George Clooney and Julia Roberts’ Platonic Friendship
Although George Clooney and Julia Roberts have shown remarkable onscreen chemistry, their relationship has remained a warm friendship. Public appearances filled with laughter and Clooney’s generosity—like lending his Lake Como home for the Roberts family anniversary—underscore their close bond without romance.
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen’s Enduring Friendship
Despite years of partnership as co-hosts and speculation, CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen have confirmed they are just friends. Cohen said on Howard Stern’s show that their relationship is built on friendship, not romance:
I just think it’s not what our relationship is based on. We’re just friends. That’s not a part of it. I think, at this point, we know each other too well. We’re not attracted to each other in that way.
—Andy Cohen. Cooper recalled their first blind date setup:
knew within 45 seconds I was never going on a date with Andy Cohen.
—Anderson Cooper.
Cooper also shared that Cohen broke an unwritten dating rule by asking about Cooper’s mother, Gloria Vanderbilt:
I wanted to date the Vanderbilt boy!
—Andy Cohen.
Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Long-Term Friendship
Co-stars in (500) Days of Summer, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt never dated but maintained a lasting friendship. Gordon-Levitt reflected on fans’ interest in their relationship, stating,
Zooey and I just think it’s funny,
—Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
It is funny. We’ve been friends for 10 years.
—Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale’s Close Bond Without Romance
Before Zac Efron’s relationship with Vanessa Hudgens was confirmed, fans speculated about a romance with their mutual friend Ashley Tisdale, fueled by his 2006 guest role as her love interest on
“The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.”
The pair remain close friends, with Tisdale calling him her “brother/best friend.” She recalled their awkward onscreen kiss, explaining,
It was the worst because he is like my brother,
—Ashley Tisdale.
At the time, he was used to acting on Warner Brothers, which is CW, and we were on Disney Channel.
—Ashley Tisdale. She also described having to stop his kiss:
Get away from me!
—Ashley Tisdale.
I closed my mouth so fast. I was like, ‘This is Disney Channel, we don’t kiss like that on Disney Channel!’
—Ashley Tisdale. Tisdale summarized their closeness:
It’s just weird when you’re so close to somebody, we’d already done a movie, I’d known him for years before,
—Ashley Tisdale.
That is why it was the worst, it’s just we’re too close.
—Ashley Tisdale.
Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman’s Enduring Friendship
Disney’s “High School Musical” stars Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman have maintained a supportive friendship beyond their roles as Chad and Taylor. They reunited in 2021 for the Lifetime movie “A Christmas Dance Reunion,” with Bleu writing on Instagram:
After 13 years it felt like coming home working and dancing with [Monique] again. Starring in a [Lifetime] Christmas movie has always been a dream of mine, but never in a million years did I think I’d get to share the screen with one of my favorite people.
—Corbin Bleu. Coleman expressed her hope to continue collaborative projects, telling People:
I honestly pray that we get to do more things together because we have that sort of spark that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan had, and Leo and Kate, and Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and all of these different couples that we’ve seen in movie after movie together. I really feel like we have that potential as well and I’d like to see that happen.
—Monique Coleman.
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s Complicated Onscreen Partnership
Stars of “The X-Files,” Duchovny and Anderson experienced tension while filming, according to Duchovny:
Familiarity breeds contempt. It’s nothing to do with the other person. We used to argue about nothing. We couldn’t stand the sight of each other.
—David Duchovny. Despite this, fans hoped for a romantic connection on and off screen. A lunch date in 2021 sparked renewed interest, with Duchovny commenting on the fan reaction:
As I was leaving she was like, ‘Let’s take a photo,’
—David Duchovny.
I was told there was a big reaction to it! I never get that stuff, but it’s really cool that people are interested after all these years.
—David Duchovny.
Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson’s Close Professional Friendship
Having appeared together in eight films, the Marvel actors Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson have developed a strong personal connection without dating. Johansson described their intimacy stemming from years of friendship as:
It’s really a result of 10 years of knowing somebody and being able to have a kind of intimacy with them that I think you get from just spending a lot of time with somebody and knowing their soft underbelly,
—Scarlett Johansson.
