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There are some co-stars whose working chemistry is so palpable, you would be convinced they might be romantically involved off-camera.
Just look at Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac's steamy red carpet photos from the September 2021 premiere of their heartbreaking drama, Scenes From a Marriage, which had fans wildly speculating on a possible real-life romance after Isaac kissed Chastain's inner arm in front of flashing photographers.
And then there are Your Place or Mine co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher.
Some photos from the red carpet had social media saying the pair had zero chemistry.
\u201cThe most awkward duo... https://t.co/VtsikFxo5P\u201d— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) 1675627944
Select images of Witherspoon and Kutcher looked like they didn't know what to do with their hands.
People wondered what was their deal.
\u201cFans think Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher looked awkward posing together https://t.co/AVeiKMdbVw\u201d— The Independent (@The Independent) 1675710500
\u201cBasic Instinct remake starring Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon when?\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675456883
\u201c@thejonbutter @michaelcollado The prom date photo you take at your parents' house\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
\u201c@michaelcollado It probably wasn't his shower day.\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
\u201c@michaelcollado they look like they met at conversion camp\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
\u201cashton kutcher and reese witherspoon\u201d— abbotts emmy holder (@abbotts emmy holder) 1675565063
Oh, the humor.
\u201cthe chemistry is insane!!!!\u201d— kie (@kie) 1675541268
The uncomfortable photos prompted the internet to share a study of contrasts with photos of actors showing more of a spark between them.
\u201creese witherspoon and ashton kutcher would never\u201d— l\u00facia (@l\u00facia) 1675608619
\u201c@michaelcollado Sebastian Stan and Glenn Close had better chemistry at the Met Gala and they only met for the first time there\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
Remember the example of Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac's chemistry on the red carpet?
Behold.
\u201c@michaelcollado for reference these two were doing a show about a DIVORCE\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
\u201c@michaelcollado\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675452972
Maybe it was a promotional stunt.
\u201cI choose to believe the Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon romcom is about to be so spicy they needed to look like they hated each other for the press tour to avoid drama \ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffc\u201d— Spill Sesh (@Spill Sesh) 1675610201
For the record, Witherspoon and Kutcher seemed to enjoy working together.
Their positive camaraderie was evident in plenty of other photos from the same movie's premiere that didn't make the rounds online.
Some even showed the pair laughing and just being adorably geeky together.
\u201cKinda feel bad for circulating photos of Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher standing like this \ud83e\uddcd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\uddcd\u200d\u2642\ufe0f at the Your Place or Mine premiere when there\u2019s also this.\u201d— Mike (@Mike) 1675478054
\u201cI know people are making fun of Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher for just standing next to each other and not having any chemistry in those same 2 or 3 pictures circulating but there are also pictures that exist from that exact same event that are actually pretty cute imo lol\u201d— Liv (@Liv) 1675545803
In preparation for the few scenes they physically appeared in together, the actors connected by sending each other daily videos.
Witherspoon told Esquire:
“We would talk about everything from our favorite football teams, stupid things our dogs did, what we were making for dinner, [to] how we felt about life in general."
The actors continued keeping in touch after production on Your Place or Mine wrapped.
Kutcher told the magazine he and Witherspoon spoke just days prior to his interview, saying they were "just checking in."
Your Place or Mine was written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna in her directorial debut.
The comedy film is about best friends played by Witherspoon and Kutcher who decided to swap houses for a week.
The cast also includes Jesse Williams, Tig Notaro, Zoë Chao, Steve Zahn and Wesley Kimmel
You can watch it when it starts streaming on Netflix on February 10, 2023.