Buzz
What's more exciting than the release of a highly anticipated movie? It's simple: the juicy gossip that unfolds during celeb interviews afterward. AKA, the press tours.
We all know the point of a press tour is to promote the film (though I'm not a PR expert). But sometimes, the press tour itself becomes so bizarre, awkward, or chaotic, it’s far more entertaining than the actual movie.
Given how many chaotic press tours we've witnessed—some of which you might have forgotten by now—let's revisit a few of the most intriguing ones.
1. It Ends With Us (2024)
2. Don't Worry Darling (2022)
THE DETAILS: From the debate over whether 'Harry Styles spat on Chris Pine' (a question that still haunts me) to the drama between Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh, this press tour was a lot to unpack. To put it simply, it was a complex and messy situation. It’s unfortunate that the drama overshadowed the film itself, because honestly? I absolutely loved it. And I feel like it doesn’t get enough recognition. I kind of agree with Harry when he said his favorite part about 'DWD' is that it 'feels like a movie.' Another iconic moment from the press tour.
THE DETAILS: This one is less complex compared to the previous two—essentially, these press tours quickly earned the title of 'awkward' from the public. Why? People were firm in their belief that Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson 'have zero chemistry.' As a result, the interviews became... well, quite fascinating to watch.
THE DETAILS: There was indeed some social media drama surrounding the press cycle for this film. This includes the controversy about a fan-made 'Wicked' poster, along with other intriguing moments from interviews. And we can’t forget all the tears shed between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo throughout the press tour, which sparked its own share of controversy. So many memes have emerged from this one tour that, to be honest, they occupy more space in my mind than the movie itself. The 'you have been the light of the day' clip is my personal favorite, among countless other viral and meme-worthy moments from the interviews. Let's all *hold space* for this one.
THE DEETS: Fans observed that Robert Pattinson appeared somewhat uninterested during his press tour interviews for Twilight. Turns out, they were right! Robert later admitted that he was "wasted the entire time." Looking back, it actually makes those interviews much more entertaining.
6. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
THE DEETS: This moment is likely the least chaotic among these examples — though it was still unusual, in that it was so different from what we typically see.
Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, director Martin Scorsese took a unique approach to promoting the movie by posting Letterboxd reviews and appearing in his daughter’s TikToks, which is honestly pretty adorable.
7. Madame Web (2024)
THE DEETS: Once again, Dakota Johnson makes an appearance — you may remember her from the Fifty Shades trilogy (obviously). The scoop here is that audiences began to notice Dakota seemed "notably disinterested and dismissive" during the movie’s press tour, even going as far as to admit she hadn't watched the film yet. As a result, the movie ended up “tank[ing] at the box office.”
On top of that, an earthquake hit during one of these interviews. Now, that's an unhinged moment, don't you think?
8. Mean Girls: The Musical (2024)
THE DEETS: Let’s talk about Renée Rapp, my girl. This press tour was labeled as “unhinged” due to her brutally honest comments during the interviews. It was in these moments that we got to see Renée's candidness, which sparked mixed reactions from the internet.
One memorable instance had Renée call herself “ageist” during an interview with Andy Cohen, igniting an online debate.
9. Wonka (2023)
THE DEETS: Hugh Grant was refreshingly honest during this press tour, especially regarding his thoughts on the movie — particularly his “hatred” for playing an Oompa Loompa.
"I couldn't have hated the whole thing more," he shared about the film. "I slightly hate making movies, but I have a lot of kids and need money." His candid remarks definitely caught people off guard.
10. War of the Worlds (2005)
THE DEETS: This moment took place 20 years ago (!!!) and features some truly wild Tom Cruise moments. You probably remember the viral clip where Tom jumps up on the couch during an interview with Oprah… that was part of this press tour.
He also got into a much-discussed "quarrel with Matt Lauer,” which occurred around the same time as the film’s release.
11. Two Lovers (2008)
THE DEETS: Joaquin Phoenix, who stars in the movie alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, certainly got people talking with his interviews, which became “infamous.”
Why, you ask? He announced he was retiring from acting and appeared visibly “unkempt.” But it turns out this was all part of a “performance art” piece for his role in the film I’m Still Here.
12. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
THE DEETS: This one is a bit of a trainwreck. At the time, Kristen Stewart, who starred in this film, was in a relationship with Robert Pattinson.
However, the internet was set on fire when Us Weekly broke the story about a month after the movie's release that Kristen had cheated on Robert with the movie's director, Rupert Sanders, who was married at the time. DUN DUN DUNNNN. This story exploded and set the internet ablaze.
13. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
THE DEETS: I just have to mention the press tour that birthed the infamous Sad Affleck meme — you know, the photo of Ben Affleck looking incredibly somber during a press junket.
Here's the story: the movie had just hit theaters, and the reviews from critics weren’t exactly glowing. During one particular interview, when asked about the movie's reception, fans couldn’t help but notice how, well, downright SAD Ben appeared. And thus, the meme was born.
While this might have been just one memorable moment from the press tour, that meme has certainly left a lasting impact on my heart.
14. A Star Is Born (2018)
THE DEETS: I would never speak ill of Lady Gaga, EVER. But in my view, this movie is mainly remembered for her endlessly repeating that “there can be a hundred people in the room…” story during press tours. That’s pretty much it.
In case you missed it, Lady Gaga repeated the same heartfelt compliment to Bradley Cooper multiple times, which, while super sweet, led to numerous jokes and dating rumors — rumors they both denied.
15. Suicide Squad (2016)
THE DEETS: During the press tour, the cast (including Will Smith and Margot Robbie) shared stories about how Jared Leto, who played the Joker, remained *in character* even on set. These tales raised a few eyebrows.
This included Leto giving his costars some “unsettling gifts,” such as a live rat and Playboy magazines. Leto later clarified these gifts were merely a “joke.” So, who knows what really went down? What we do know for sure is that the entire situation became “infamous,” and those stories made more than a few people uncomfortable.
