The 2023 film Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, sparked substantial attention well beyond its box office success. Adapted from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and directed by Will Gluck, the movie follows Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), who experience a fallout after an ideal date but are reunited six months later for Bea’s sister’s wedding. The romantic comedy was a commercial hit, earning $220 million worldwide on a $25 million budget. However, amid its success, intense rumors circulated accusing Sweeney and Powell of engaging in affairs with each other while involved with other partners. These rumors escalated in tandem with the film’s marketing campaign, drawing wide media and fan speculation.
Sydney Sweeney’s Response to the Affair Claims
In a recent Variety profile coinciding with the launch of her upcoming biographical drama Christy, Sydney Sweeney addressed the persistent Glen Powell affair rumors directly. She credited media sensationalism for exaggerating their close friendship and insisted there was no intentional encouragement from herself or Powell. Sweeney explained that journalists and tabloids fabricated much of the speculation, interpreting ordinary interactions as evidence of a secret romance.
Honestly, the press did it themselves. There was no leaning in, per se. Truly, the tabloids and journalists just created it and kept going. Even if we were just standing next to each other, it was ‘They’re standing two inches apart!’ Glen and I genuinely care for each other and have a love and respect for one another. I love being with him. And I think people just truly saw a really beautiful pairing.
—Sydney Sweeney, Actress
This statement aligns with what Sweeney shared in a 2024 interview when discussing her involvement in Anyone But You’s marketing efforts. While she was actively engaged in promotional strategy, she clarified that the audience largely drove the affair narrative themselves.
I was on every call. 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. 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.
—Sydney Sweeney, Actress
Glen Powell’s Take on the Media Buzz
Glen Powell also reflected on the rumors during the same New York Times interview, acknowledging that he and Sweeney sometimes embraced the speculation to boost the film’s appeal. He credited Sweeney with the idea to lean into their apparent chemistry, a key ingredient in promoting romantic comedies.
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, Actor
Impact on Personal Relationships and Public Narratives
The affair rumors had real consequences beyond Hollywood gossip. In 2025, Glen Powell’s former partner, Gigi Paris, revealed on the podcast Too Much that the media speculation affected her deeply and contributed to the couple’s breakup. Powell later addressed her comments in a GQ interview, expressing respect and affection while acknowledging the complexity of breakups and differing perspectives.
I will always have nothing but love for her and respect for her. Everybody’s always going to have their own narrative on things and all that. And she’s welcome to it. 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, Actor
How Marketing and Media Fueled the Rumors
The Glen Powell affair rumors illustrate a complex intersection of marketing strategy, media sensationalism, and fan engagement. Sydney Sweeney’s proactive role with Sony’s marketing team helped create a lively conversation around Anyone But You, while both actors occasionally played into the chemistry narrative to boost interest. The blending of professional promotion with personal speculation created a “perfect storm” that amplified the rumors beyond their factual basis, affecting the actors’ private lives and public perceptions.
Upcoming Projects and Future Outlook
Sydney Sweeney is poised to star in the biographical drama Christy, scheduled for release on November 7, 2025, while Glen Powell will appear in Edgar Wright’s reboot of The Running Man, coming out on November 15, 2025. As both actors continue to advance their careers, they remain under close public scrutiny, but their statements make clear the affair rumors do not reflect their realities. The episode highlights challenges celebrities face when private relationships are conflated with marketing tactics and media narratives, an issue likely to persist in Hollywood’s tightly intertwined worlds of film promotion and gossip.
