A Hollywood publicist has lifted the lid on so-called 'showmances' – celebrity romances allegedly set up for publicity. Jack Ketsoyan, who previously worked for talent agency PMK-BNC, revealed on the Mamamia podcast that he arranged fake relationships for two famous couples to generate hype or distract from negative press.
Ketsoyan explained that these arrangements have evolved over the years, once used to hide an actor's sexuality. 'It's to be able to sell the hype of it – whether a concert, album… or getting people to go to see the movie,' he said. He noted that a key clue is a high-profile male dating a less famous woman, who suddenly becomes the most talked-about girl in Hollywood.
In one case, a male client had a movie receiving bad reviews. 'We found him a girl, a one year deal,' Ketsoyan said. The arrangement worked: the press shifted focus from the film, and the woman went from being a minor auditionee to a leading lady. Divorce lawyer Christopher Melcher noted such contracts likely include clauses about where and when they are photographed together, and non-disclosure agreements.
Some stars have addressed speculation. Tom Hiddleston, whose relationship with Taylor Swift was rumoured to be a showmance, told GQ in 2017: 'A relationship exists between two people. We will always know what it was.' Meanwhile, Jackass star Steve-O admitted his 2006 romance with Nicole Richie was a publicity stunt, and Amy Willerton claimed Towie's Joey Essex asked her out for publicity while on I'm A Celebrity in 2013.
