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The Rise of Promotional Romances in Hollywood
A growing trend in Hollywood involves blurring the lines between on-screen romance and real-life relationships to boost film publicity. Recent examples, including those involving established stars like Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson, and rising talents like Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, suggest a calculated strategy to generate buzz and drive box office success.
The Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson Case
Initial reports in early 2024 indicated a surprising romance between Pamela Anderson, 56, and Liam Neeson, 71, fueled by their collaboration on the action-comedy Retribution (originally titled Y a-t-il un flic pour sauver le monde ?).The pairing garnered critically important media attention, particularly given Anderson’s history of highly publicized relationships and Neeson’s long period of privacy following the death of his wife, natasha Richardson, in 2009. The Independent reported on the initial excitement surrounding the couple. Though, TMZ subsequently alleged that the relationship was largely fabricated to promote the film. TMZ claimed the romance was a publicity stunt. Retribution ultimately grossed over $100 million worldwide against a $42 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo, suggesting the strategy may have been effective.
Following the Trend: Dave Franco and Alison Brie
The alleged manufactured romance between Anderson and Neeson wasn’t an isolated incident. Around the same time, Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who are married in real life, promoted their horror film Together
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