The extravagant promotions of Wuthering Heights' and Wicked': We are reaching a point between the sublime and ridiculous'

"The boundaries between fact and fiction are becoming increasingly blurred. And nowhere more so than in the film industry. The recent promotional tour for Wicked: For Good became a show in itself almost from the get-go. Basically, it was promoted in a tsunami of memes, viral videos and digital press articles that revolved around the relationship between protagonists Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The tone invited mockery and skepticism, and not for the first time."

"Back in 2024, with the premiere of the first part of Wicked, the behavior of both actresses had been criticized as ridiculous to the point of pathological. The pair seemed to have been pitched into an exhausting state of emotional hypersensitivity. Erivo's protectiveness of Grande generated disconcerting situations, such as when she grabbed and kissed Grande's arm after an interviewer shook it with excessive enthusiasm. It may have been an overreaction, or it could have been an indication of unhealthy dependencies and mental health problems."

"Two factors have contributed to suspicions of the latter. On the one hand, there's a certain misogyny that fosters the belief that any public affection between two women must come from a weird place. On the other hand, there's the histrionics of the actresses, which have in fact probably been devised and scripted by the film's publicists. It is becoming increasingly common for film promotional campaigns to incorporate a theatrical element that ends up turning them into spectacles in their own right."

"The same has happened with the latest remake of Wuthering Heights, whose protagonists, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi not to mention Charli XCX, who provides much of the soundtrack appeared at the different premieres wearing neo-romantic-inspired gowns that bordered on cosplay. At the London preview, Elordi was able to have rain drip from his mullet onto the shoulders of his green frock coat by Bottega Veneta, lending him a wild air as the weather played into the proceed"

The boundaries between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred in film publicity. The promotional tour for Wicked: For Good became a performative show promoted through memes, viral videos and digital press focused on Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, inviting mockery and skepticism. Earlier behavior at the 2024 premiere drew criticism as pathological, with the pair appearing emotionally hypersensitive. Erivo's protectiveness produced disconcerting moments, including grabbing and kissing Grande's arm after an enthusiastic interviewer. Such reactions can be read as overreactions or signs of unhealthy dependency. Misogyny and likely scripted histrionics by publicists fuel those suspicions. Increasingly, film campaigns incorporate theatrical elements that turn premieres into spectacles, as seen with neo-romantic gowns and weather-played staging at Wuthering Heights events.

Read at english.elpais.com