Hollywood Showmances: Stars Use PDA for Box Office Boost

For many years a long list of stars have been mimicking their on-screen relationships during their respective press tours. 

But these celebs aren't actually in love, and in many cases are in happy relationships and marriages away from their most recent projects.

So why do they do this you ask? Red carpet PDA stunts are used to gain eyeballs, media interaction, and in turn, boost movie sales.

'The showmance is basically one of Hollywood's most durable marketing tricks,' said Christopher Halliday, a senior lecturer in visual cultures at King's College London.

'They're often marketed with romantic comedy or romantic stories - anything where the film is about them getting together.'

From Margot Robbie to Sydney Sweeney, here are the stars who have amped up the PDA with their co-stars to get tongues wagging. 

For many years a long list of stars have been mimicking their on-screen relationships during their respective press tours (pictured Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi)

But these celebs aren't actually in love, and in many cases are in happy relationships and marriages away from their most recent projects (pictured Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell) 

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi 

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi were very flirty with their promotional tour for Wuthering Height, ahead of the release of Emerald Fennel's movie adaptation. 

Jacob previously raised eyebrows when he declared that he and Margot were 'obsessed' with each other while filming the blockbuster, and claimed he made sure he was no less than 10 metres away from the Barbie actress 'at all times'.

'We have a mutual obsession,' he told US entertainment platform Fandango, as the blonde beauty sat nearby.

'I think the thing is, regardless of plot or screenplay, if you have the opportunity to share a film set with Margot Robbie, you're going to make sure you're within 5 to 10 metres at all times.

'Watching how she drinks tea, how she eats her food, how she does it. When is it going to slip? When is the thing going to come undone? And, it never comes undone,' he added.

The mutual 'obsession' helped with getting into character, as Jacob added: 'There'd be a moment where we'd be running hand-in-hand through the moors, maybe not even in the scene, just setting it up, where I'd look across at her and she'd be looking at me and you really realized you are looking at Catherine and she was looking at Heathcliffe'

'And in that moment, we really were a part of their love, for real.'

Meanwhile Margot claimed that she became 'co-dependent' on Jacob.

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi have been very flirty during their promotional tour with Wuthering Height

Fans have accused Margot and Jacob of taking part in a 'lame' publicity stunt in order to promote the movie after raising eyebrows with their gushing remarks

Jacob is currently in a relationship with YouTuber Olivia Jade

Meanwhile Margot is married to Wuthering Heights' co-producer Tom Ackerley

She said: 'I'm so codependent with people I work with and I love everyone so much and I'm always that person who's so devastated when a job's over and I never want it to end. I think I developed that quite quickly with Jacob too.'

Margot went on to add that she became so accustomed to the Saltburn star's presence that when he wasn't around, she felt 'really unnerved and unmoored', adding: 'I felt quite lost, like a kid without their blanket or something.'

The Barbie star also revealed the touching gesture Jacob made when they filmed over Valentine's Day last year.

She recalled: 'We were shooting on Valentine's Day. You made my day and, as Heathcliff, filled my room with roses.

'I remember thinking on Valentine's Day, oh he's probably a very good boyfriend, 'cause there's a lot of thoughtfulness in this. You did a lot of very thoughtful things.'

Margot also waxed lyrical about Jacob's acting skills, branding The Kissing Booth 2 star 'the new Daniel Day-Lewis'.

She told The Guardian: 'He's incredible and I believe in him so much.'

It was then revealed Margot and Jacob had matching signet rings made to commemorate their time together.

Each of the beautiful rings features an image of two skeletons embracing, and the words 'Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.' 

However, despite raising eyebrows over their red carpet PDA, both Margot and Jacob are in committed relationships. 

Margot is married to the producer of the movie Tom Ackerley, while Jacob is dating YouTuber Olivia Jade. 

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell

During the 2023 press tour for their romantic comedy Anyone But You, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell sparked romance rumours

During the 2023 press tour for their romantic comedy Anyone But You, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell sparked romance rumours.

Even though both were in relationships at the time, their cosy appearances fueled speculation that they were more than co-stars.

A production member on the film even relayed that many of the workers on set 'thought they were already a couple.'

They continued with 'I knew him from Top Gun. But I just assumed they were a couple in real life. That's what it looked like to most of us. And to some of the extras as well.'  

Glen also silently split with his model girlfriend Gigi Paris, whom later unfollowed Sydney, who was engaged to Jonathan Davino at the time, on Instagram after the couple split.

Sydney finally shot down the rumours during a tell-all interview with Variety, saying 'It's a rom-com. That's what people want!'

She added: 'Glen and I don't really care.'

'We have so much fun together, and we respect each other so much; he's such a hard worker, and I'm a hard worker,' she continued.

'We're excited for the press tour [the interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike], and I literally just left ADR with him. We talk all the time like, 'That's really funny,' the blonde beauty quipped. 

Glen's relationship with Paris didn't survive to see Anyone But You hit theaters; pictured 2022

Sydney was engaged to longtime partner Jonathan Davino at the time; they are seen in 2018

Meanwhile Glen admitted that he and Sydney agreed to 'play up' the dating rumors as publicity for the rom-com.

When asked about their decision to lean into their characters, Ben and Bea, Glen opened up about utilising their 'authentic chemistry' to entice viewers to watch their rom-com.

'I don't have the mental capacity to pull anything like this off, but she's very smart. She's very smart,' the Top Gun: Maverick actor told Business Insider. 'I had such a wonderful journey with her on this thing. But in terms of actual dating and actually being together? [Laughs.]'

As for how their chemistry on-screen and natural rapport at press events may have created a 'lot of headaches for' him, the performer acknowledged his split from Gigi.

'Well, look, the only reason it made things harder for me to lean into that stuff was that I was going through a very real breakup amidst a promotional tour,' he explained.

The actor continued: 'I was with someone that I really loved and cared about and was trying to kind of make sense of a lot of stuff.'

Glen also admitted that he and Sydney 'love each other,' but are not romantically involved.

Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson

During the press tour of their film, The Naked Gun, Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson made headlines for their tactile red carpet appearances over the 2025 summer (pictured in July)

During the press tour of their film, The Naked Gun, Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson made headlines for their tactile red carpet appearances over the 2025 summer.

When the film opened in London, Pamela was seen cuddling up to Liam and planting a kiss on his cheek, and while plugging the movie on chat show, Watch What Happens Live, she applied lip balm to him on camera.

Liam then joked that his favourite part of making the film was filming 'the sex scenes' with his co-star Pamela. 

He joked about their intimate scenes as The Sun reported the pair were given an intimacy co-ordinator on set.

The star explained: 'I'd never had one before. But she was in the background. There was no kind of, 'OK! Excuse me!'.

Pamela added that the intimacy co-ordinator knew when to walk away and joked that she stormed off, with Liam claiming she threw her hands up in the air and said, 'I can't take this! This is too hot for me. I'm going for coffee'.

However, despite their undeniable chemistry, both on-screen and off, there is no true romance between the co-stars.

Liam also raised eyebrows when he joked that his favourite part of making the film was filming 'the sex scenes' with his co-star Pamela

An insider told the Daily Mail, 'Liam has long felt that he isn't going to date anymore and this connection with Pam is nothing more than an incredible friendship that they will share forever.

'Liam is in love with Pam, but only as friends. Some might confuse their bond for something more.'

Pamela also set the record straight on romance rumours between the pair as the Baywatch queen posed for Entertainment Weekly for their digital cover.

And unfortunately there is no romance yet. 'I think I have a friend forever in Liam,' she said. 'And we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he's a good guy.'

A source then confirmed to the Daily Mail in July that they had been dating 'for a while' after meeting on the set of their movie together.

But four months after the release of the movie, Pamela confirmed the pair are no longer romantically involved.

Although their brief blaze of romance has cooled into a platonic friendship, Pamela said: 'I adore Liam, but we are better friends, in full honesty. He is such a supporter of this new trajectory in my career and kindly tells me he is very proud of me. I'm sure we will always be in each other's lives.'

Her admission raised eyebrows whether their 'relationship' was just a showmance, in a bid to create conversation around the film. 

Zoe Kravitz and Austin Butler

Zoe Kravitz and Austin Butler fuelled  romance rumors at the premiere of their new film Caught Stealing (pictured in August) 

Zoe and Austin star in Caught Stealing which dropped on August 29

Zoe Kravitz and Austin Butler raised eyebrows with their very flirty display while promoting their movie Caught Stealing in 2025.

They then sent the speculation into overdrive as they put on a flirty display at a Paris bar, with an insider telling Daily Mail the duo have 'chemistry'. 

'It's not quite a fully fledged romance but Austin hasn't been friend-zoned either,' the source said.

At the time, Austin and Zoe were both fresh out of high-profile romances with Kaia Gerber and Channing Tatum respectively, and a source told The Sun in April that the duo have been 'getting on very well.'

They told the Sun: 'Their chemistry is as good off-screen as it is on it. Austin and Zoe have been keeping it under the radar and aren't putting a label on anything yet. They are both very respectful of their ex-partners and are just seeing how things go.'

However sources then claimed they definitely aren't dating after rumours hit fever pitch when they were seen at an immersive show called Viola's Room in July.

Insiders told the publication that they attended the show with Caught Stealing director Darren and are 'just friends'.

At the same time, Zoe was then spotted on a date in Rome with One Direction star Harry Styles.

There was nothing going on between the co-stars and Zoe is dating One Direction star Harry Styles 

An inside source has told the Daily Mail that while Zoe and Austin certainly 'got friendly' while working on the movie together, there was nothing more between them.

The insider added that Zoe is attracted to 31-year-old Harry's 'effortlessly cool' personality, which 'reminds her' of her dad, rocker Lenny Kravtiz.

'Zoe and Austin are just really good friends despite all the rumors that they were anything more,' the insider explained.

'They got friendly by working with each other and nothing more... even though people want them to be something, it just isn't the case. Austin is doing his own thing and is not bothered with any relationship Zoe is in or will get into; he's totally cool about it. He's more interested and looking forward to the reaction that fans have over their movie.'

On Styles, the insider added: 'Zoe is attracted to musicians, but she is also attracted to Harry because he is really cool. He's really cool without trying.'

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper fuelled romance rumours during their 2018 -2019 press tour of A Star is Born

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper fuelled romance rumours during their 2018 -2019 press tour of A Star is Born. 

Fans immediately noticed their on-and-off screen electrifying chemistry. 

While speaking about remaking the beloved movie, it quickly became clear how much their real-life connection mirrors their characters.

'From the moment he came to my home and I opened the door and we locked eyes, I felt an instant connection with him,' Lady Gaga told Vanity Fair.

At the premiere. Lady Gaga gushed that Bradley is now a 'friend for life' and praised his ability to direct, write, sing and act in the film.

'Bradley is a friend for life. Incredible human being. Not only did I make a great friend from this film, but I got to witness such a masterful artist,' she said.

'He is so incredible. He's a renaissance man. He directs, writes. He wrote songs for this film, sang live, directed, starred.'

At the time, news also broke that Lady Gaga broke off her engagement to talent agent Christian Carino.

Meanwhile Bradley had split from supermodel Irina Shayk, after reportedly not being in a good place 'for a few months'.

At the time news broke that Lady Gaga broke off her engagement to talent agent Christian Carino 

Meanwhile Bradley had split from supermodel Irina Shayk, after reportedly not being in a good place 'for a few months' (pictured in 2016) 

Lady Gaga was forced to deny that the pair were in love afterwards. 

She told Jimmy Kimmel: 'Yeah, people saw love, and guess what? That's what we wanted you to see.'

The pair didn't help romance rumours when they took to the Oscars for an incredible performance of the movie's song 'Shallow,' and it got the fans believing they were more than just co-stars. 

Due to their intimacy onstage, fans were convinced that the two actors must have fallen in love in real life. 

But almost two years after their romantic debut at the 91st Academy Awards, Bradley finally opened up about their performance.

He admitted that performing next to an international popstar helped him relax for singing live, which he hadn't been known for prior to the movie. 

'Just from a personal standpoint, it reduces the anxiety level,' he told THR. 

He also explained that the nature of their performance was all part of recapturing what made the song so powerful in the movie. 

Bradley said: 'They kind of fall in love in that scene in the film. 

'It's that explosive moment that happens to happen 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.'

Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac broke the internet with their palpable chemistry while promoting their HBO miniseries Scenes from a Marriage

The pictured in their HBO miniseries Scenes from a Marriage

Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac broke the internet with their palpable chemistry while promoting their HBO miniseries Scenes from a Marriage. 

At the 2021 Venice Film Festive, Chastain was posing with her left arm draped around Isaac's shoulder when he tenderly caressed her bicep. 

They shared a smoldering gaze before Isaac leaned over and kissed her arm, prompting Chastain to laugh and pull him in for a hug.

Many people were shocked to learn that the co-stars are both married to other people, leading some to wrongly speculate that they are having an affair.

However, Isaac's wife, filmmaker Elvira Lind, was at the premiere and watching from the sidelines as he and Chastain put on a show for the cameras.

Isaac and Lind have been married since 2017 and have two children together, while Chastain and her husband, fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, also wed that year and have two children together.

Chastain and Isaac both studied at Julliard have been close friends since college. They co-starred in the 2014 film A Most Violent Year before taking on their latest project, Scenes from a Marriage.

The actors admitted that being old friends was a mixed blessing when it came to playing married couple Mira and Jonathan in the HBO miniseries.

Chastain has been married to fashion executive Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo since 2017 (L), while Oscar wed his wife, filmmaker Elvira Lind, that same year (R)

'We would joke that [the friendship] is a blessing and a curse,' Chastain told Deadline. 'It’s a blessing because there’s immediate trust. You don’t have to be worried about offending. You can be very honest.

'The difficult thing is that at times we were reading each other’s minds. It was like, "Get out of my head." So, I felt on this job there was no quiet time.'

Isaac added: 'Professionally, it’s great when you know someone so well because you don’t have to worry about a lot of stuff you usually worry about.

'However, on something this intense you care about the person so much, because it’s like working with family. If you didn’t know someone so well, getting your own space isn’t so hard.'

Chastain said they had an intimacy coordinator who helped them navigate their sex scenes, but she admitted that it was still somewhat awkward.

'Oscar and I are very comfortable with each other so we had our own separate talks. That was helpful,' she explained, adding: 'I would still get embarrassed, though, so bourbon helped a lot. But the level of trust was high.'