Sydney Sweeney is pushing back on the long-running relationship speculation tied to her Anyone, But You press tour with Glen Powell—saying the story didn’t start with them, but with headlines.
In a recent interview, Sweeney stated that the rumour cycle was largely driven by the press, arguing that tabloids and entertainment coverage took ordinary co-star moments and turned them into a narrative. She characterized it as something “created” and amplified by journalists, not something she and Powell intentionally encouraged.
What Sweeney Says Happened
Sweeney’s core point is simple: the speculation grew because people wanted it to be true, and coverage kept feeding it. Reports quoting her emphasize how even neutral photos or red-carpet proximity were treated as “proof,” regardless of context.
She also stressed that her bond with Powell is real—just not romantic—describing mutual care and respect and framing their connection as friendship.
The “Lean Into It” Complication
Here’s the part that makes this messy: in 2024, coverage of Powell and Sweeney’s comments around the movie’s marketing portrayed them as acknowledging they did play into the buzz because it helped sell the romantic-comedy chemistry. That “lean into it” framing has been widely repeated in entertainment reporting.
So when Sweeney now says there was “no leaning in,” it reads like a contradiction—because the public remembers the earlier narrative as intentional.
What’s Actually Plausible (And What Isn’t)
Both things can be partly true, but not in the clean way publicists would like:
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It’s believable that the press and social media escalated the story far beyond what was happening. That’s how celebrity coverage works, and Sweeney’s examples match the pattern.
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It’s also hard to claim the team had zero awareness that playful headlines were helping the movie, because that exact “chemistry sells” dynamic is a known promotional lever—and it was discussed publicly in past coverage.
In other words: blaming the press entirely is convenient, but it’s not the full story. The press didn’t invent the idea that two attractive leads doing a rom-com together might be fun to speculate about—the campaign environment made that speculation easy to sustain.
Where Things Stand Now
Current reporting continues to frame Sweeney and Powell as not together and as people who moved forward professionally while dealing with the fallout of public narratives. Sweeney’s recent comments focus on protecting personal boundaries and clarifying that friendship and on-screen chemistry don’t equal a relationship.
