When actors play lovers on-screen, chemistry is very important to make it a convincing show to watch. In the case of co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon, the idea is to look convincing on-screen but not to have chemistry in real-life to avoid complications.
Recently Kutcher and Witherspoon have been photographed awkwardly posing on the red carpet photos. The pair have been occupied promoting their new Netflix rom-com, Your Place or Mine. Kutcher and Witherspoon were standing politely beside each other and the photos have been viral online.
Avoiding rumours of affair
Speaking on the Chicks in the Office podcast recently, Kutcher explained that there’s no winning in this situation. “Here’s the thing: if I put my arm around her, and was like all friendly with her, I’d be having an affair with her. Like, the rumour would be that I’m having an affair with her,” Kutcher said. “If I stand next to her and put my hands in my pockets so there’s no chance that that could be the rumour, then the rumour is we don’t like each other. Reese and I are really good friends; we’re really close. I don’t have to defend that.”
The actor added that he hadn’t seen all of the memes and social media scuttlebutt, and in fact it was his wife, Mila Kunis, who first gave him a heads up. “My wife called me. She texted Reese and I together and said, ‘Guys, you gotta, like… act like you like each other.'”
The That ’70s Show star noted that he is deaf in one ear due to a rare form of vasculitis that he recently battled.
Because of his hearing difficulty, it is hard for him to hear people shouting from the crowd.
Kutcher has a hearing problem
‘I don’t know who’s calling my name, but I know there’s a lot of people yelling, “Reese! Ashton! Over here!”‘ he said.
‘If you’re gonna tell me, in that entire 20-minute period, at one point you’re not gonna have an awkward face on, then you’re better than I am and I’m cool with that.’
Kutcher’s condition also temporarily impaired his sense of balance, making it difficult for him to even walk.
Your Place or Mine is about Debbie (Witherspoon) and Peter (Kutcher), BFFs who live on opposite coasts.
When they decide to swap houses and lives for a week, they’re forced to confront the possibility that maybe they do have some loving feelings for each other after all.
The director of the show also wrote other rom-coms
The rom-com marks the feature directorial debut of Aline Brosh McKenna, best known for writing “The Devil Wears Prada,” “27 Dresses” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” The supporting cast includes Zoë Chao, Tig Notaro, Griffin Matthews, Rachel Bloom, Shiri Appleby, Vella Lovell and Steve Zahn.
Kutcher may not have brought it up but there was a social media craze that was ignited after Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain showed off sizzling chemistry at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.
The two’s chemistry was so off the charts as they walked the carpet for “Scenes From a Marriage” that rumours about the duo dating and having extramarital affairs circulated afterwards.
Kunis also had her own say about it
Witherspoon was also asked about the awkward pictures during Monday’s appearance on the Today show. The actress said Kunis reached out to her and Kutcher over the weekend.
“She goes, ‘You guys look so awkward on the red carpet together,'” Witherspoon told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. “It’s just fun ’cause when you know a girlfriend so much, it was just fun to get to know her significant other ’cause I’ve loved her for so long.”
Witherspoon said she’s known Kunis for a while, but “had to learn to be friends” with Kutcher as the two “didn’t really know each other.” She said that before filming, the two started talking every day and sending each other videos.
“I was like, ‘These are my dogs. These are my kids,'” Witherspoon recalled. “My kids would tease him about his football team.”
“Your Place or Mine” streams Feb. 10 on Netflix.