Would you shave your head for $20? Or, more accurately, would you shave your head for something worth $20?
Average movie ticket prices in California are about $20—that's $40 for a date night and $80 for a family of four. So the opportunity to see a free advanced screening of Bugonia, a new movie by Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, might be enough to entice some people to do some stunt.
The latest Lanthimos-directed film features conspiracy theory-obsessed beekeeper Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin (Aidan Delbis), who kidnap a high-powered executive played by Emma Stone. The duo are convinced the CEO is an alien sent to destroy Earth.
At one point, they shave Stone's character's head—which Stone did in real life for her fourth film with Lanthimos. Stone won the Academy Award for Poor Things, her second project with the Greek filmmaker.
But shave your head for a movie ticket? That's a really big ask for a first date.
On October 17, images of Emma Stone from Bugonia appeared on the "Do L.A." Instagram account with the caption:
"Are you bald, or willing to shave your head? On Monday, 10/20, head to @theculvertheater for a FREE advanced screening of @bugoniafilm - the new @focusfeatures fever dream from Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons"
"Have hair? A barber will be on-site starting at 6PM to shave it all off. Screening starts at 8PM. This is real. And yes, part of it will be filmed."
On the Do L.A. website, the details were much the same, including the detail that:
"Tickets are FREE!"
dola.com
People came and got shaved.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
But not everyone was sure the price of admission—for the not previously bald—was worth it.
Redditor peachgothlover—a film critic—cried foul on Reddit, posting a photo from the event captioned:
"Some people at the all-bald screening of Bugonia are NOT bald!"
"Despite being bald being a requirement to get in, people with bald caps, partial hair, and full on hair have been admitted. Is this alright? Or a crime against art? Maybe even humanity?"
Apparently, time became a factor.
r/popculturechat/Reddit
r/popculturechat/Reddit
r/popculturechat/Reddit
r/popculturechat/Reddit
Some predicted what would happen with only two hours to shave an audience.
Stone herself weighed in on the publicity stunt, telling The Hollywood Reporter:
"I just assume that it’s people who already wanted to shave their heads and were like, ‘OK, I could just do that at home or I could just see a movie right after,’ you know what I mean?"
"It’s a good time. It’s just a good time if you’re already wanting to shave your head.”
You can watch the Bugonia trailer here:
- YouTubeyoutu.be
