What is the oldest story in Hollywood?
Not one on the screen. The oldest story is the rumored romance between co-stars in a movie that’s about to open.
I don’t know who invented this scenario, or how it propagated. But for decades, right before a film is sent into the world, this has been a common PR stunt.
It doesn’t matter that the movie was shot long before its release, or that there hadn’t been a hint of such activity prior to the movie’s premiere. The public falls for it every time. The so-called “entertainment press” — from the old days of Photoplay to eons of People magazine — are more than happy to play along.
The latest example? Since last night’s NYC premiere of “The Naked Gun,” there’s been an avalanche of stories about stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. They.re in love, they’re dating, they don’t know where it’s going.
Usually, Tom Cruise is part of that set up. How many times have we heard it? You know in your heart it’s not true, but if the people involved aren’t in relationships, anything’s possible.
I spoke to both stars at last night’s premiere of “Naked Gun” at the SVA Theater. There was no sign of anything between them except friendship. Anderson lives in LA, Neeson in NY. They work — especially him — constantly. It’s unclear if they’d seen each other much since “Naked Gun” wrapped on June 28, 2024.
Anderson shot her breakout role in “The Last Showgirl” in January 2024, a few months before “The Naked Gun.” You can absolutely tell the difference between pre-and post- “Showgirl.” She’s a far different person. She’s made at least one film since then.
Since “Naked Gun,” Neeson has made at least three movies, and has seven more in pre-production.
If this whole tabloid story were to be believed, it means no one in the last year, on all these films, knew anything about. Or they managed to keep it quiet. Neeson publicly swore off romance after wife Natasha Richardson died long ago. Every one of Anderson’s entanglements — including week long marriage to producer Jon Peters– has been heavily chronicled in real time.
But God bless the Hollywood PR machine. Will this romance draw audiences to “Naked Gun”? Unclear. Still, it’s a talking point to fall back on.
Reviews of “Naked Gun” coming in the AM.
If this were a real
