Margot Robbie found herself engulfed in a storm of controversy during the promotional tour for the film Wuthering Heights in early 2024, as intense cheating allegations and public speculation about her relationship with co-star Jacob Elordi took center stage. This Margot Robbie PR backlash has sparked critical discussions about Hollywood’s persistent use of “affair-baiting” tactics and the lasting damage such manufactured narratives can inflict on stars’ reputations and private lives.
How Hollywood’s Affair-Baiting Strategy Fueled the Wuthering Heights Controversy
During the recent press tour for Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell and based on Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, who portray Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff respectively, made headlines not only for their performances but for the palpable chemistry that unfolded off-screen. Despite Robbie being married to Tom Ackerley since 2016, rumors of a real-life romance quickly spread after multiple reports and interviews hinted at a deep connection between the two actors during filming.
In one revealing interview with Fandango, Robbie admitted to feeling “unmoored” and codependent during filming, explaining her need to have Elordi nearby at all times. Elordi, in turn, confessed, “I was enamoured by her,” underscoring the intensity of their on-set relationship.
The pair’s connection was further highlighted by their shared wearing of matching signet rings, engraved with the line,
Image of: Margot Robbie
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,”
a gift from Robbie to Elordi. Additional reports stated that on Valentine’s Day during filming, Elordi surprised Robbie by filling her room with roses, a gesture she recalled as “so cute” in an interview with Vogue Australia.
Despite these moments being captured and circulated on social media, many viewers reacted with skepticism and disapproval. Comments like, “How is this not cheating?” proliferated, exacerbating the backlash and charging the narrative with accusations of infidelity directed at Robbie, thus sparking the Margot Robbie PR backlash across online platforms.
Expert Insight: The Enduring Appeal—and Risks—of Affair-Baiting in Hollywood
Amid the escalating public debate, Andrea McDonnell, Professor of Communication at Providence College, weighed in on Hollywood’s long-standing use of romance rumors as a buzz-generating tool. She explained that studios have, for decades, leveraged the allure of off-screen affairs between co-stars to boost film publicity and ticket sales.
McDonnell told Bored Panda,
“there have been numerous instances in which Hollywood studios have promoted romances between leading actors as a way of generating publicity and speculation about a film.”
She added,
“All this hype helps to drive attendance and sales. Even when audiences don’t necessarily have an awareness of this history, we do have an understanding that there is image management around celebrities that may result in these types of stories emerging in the press.”
However, the professor also cautioned that such tactics are a double-edged sword. While rumors of illicit relationships can create excitement, they can also cause serious damage to stars’ public images as well as their personal relationships. She noted how the difficulty of separating on-screen passion from real-life fidelity often contributes to a tangled web of rumors and emotional fallout.
Drawing parallels to previous Hollywood scandals, McDonnell highlighted how these manufactured or exaggerated stories carry risks especially when associated with stars who maintain positive public reputations, such as Margot Robbie. The spread of rumors suggesting that Robbie
“could be cheating with a co-star”
may artificially pump up the hype for Wuthering Heights, but McDonnell warns such speculation
“may ultimately damage her brand as a role model or positive public figure more broadly.”
History of Publicized Affairs and Their Impact on Careers and Films
The actress’s predicament is not unique. The promotional focus on off-screen relationships has historical precedence, ranging from legendary scandals to contemporary rumors.
Andrea McDonnell referenced the well-known affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton during the 1963 filming of Cleopatra. Both stars were married to others at the time—Taylor to singer Eddie Fisher and Burton to actress Sybil Williams—and their secret romance generated enormous media frenzy.
McDonnell emphasized,
“Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton started having an affair on the set that led to loads of public scrutiny and a tabloid frenzy. While this ultimately cost both actors their marriages, the film was a box office hit. It became the highest grossing film of that year and won four Academy Awards.”
The scandal drew condemnation from various quarters, including the Vatican, which publicly denounced Taylor for what it called “erotic vagrancy.” Despite this, the controversy propelled the film’s commercial success, although it came with long-term consequences for the actors’ personal lives and reputations.
Yet McDonnell also noted the downside of such scandals, stating,
“bad behavior can also ruin reputations, and if a film is perceived as being too messy or its actors unlikable, then the audience may shy away, especially in our current moment where movie going is in decline.”
For example, the fallout from the Taylor-Burton affair led 20th Century Fox to sue the couple for $50 million, alleging their relationship hurt the film’s profitability, though the lawsuit was unsuccessful.
Modern Examples Reflecting the Complex Consequences of PR Romance Scandals
More recently, a similar dynamic played out during the promotion of the 2023 rom-com Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Throughout the press circuit, persistent rumors of an off-screen relationship led to widespread gossip involving accusations of cheating, intensified when Powell and his then-girlfriend Gigi Paris ended their three-year relationship shortly afterward.
Shortly following Powell’s breakup, Sweeney also called off her seven-year engagement to Jonathan Davino, escalating speculation among fans and media. Such patterns echo the risks actors face when their off-screen lives become intertwined with film marketing strategies.
The Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders affair during the 2012 production of Snow White and the Huntsman further illustrates the lasting damage such controversies can produce. As McDonnell recalled,
“I’m thinking about the controversy surrounding Kristen Stewart during the Snow White and the Huntsman filming which, for a time, caused a lot of backlash towards her and she retreated from the public eye for a bit.”
The fallout impeded Stewart’s career trajectory; she was not invited back for the 2016 sequel, which was retooled into a spin-off centered on Chris Hemsworth’s character, reportedly to distance the franchise from the scandal. Stewart, then in a relationship with her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, endured significant public criticism and chose to concentrate on independent films for several years.
Social Media Reactions Reveal Public Frustration Over Manufactured Romance Stories
The Margot Robbie PR backlash has sparked a wave of strong reactions from audiences online, many expressing annoyance and skepticism toward Hollywood’s marketing strategies. One social media user commented,
“You really can’t be with actors. There’s just no way u can do this wo falling in love, with the excitement, the music, the travels, the spotlight,”
reflecting the perceived inevitability of romantic entanglements on set.
Other netizens openly questioned the authenticity and motives behind these narratives. One remarked,
“They selling and we are buying it have we not learned [it’s] all PR,”
while another stated,
“They have no other PR spins for movies other than an entire fake romance stunt.”
Further frustration was voiced by a user who wrote,
“It’s so annoying this new marketing strategy… We don’t need them to fall in love in real life to want to see the movie.”
Another added,
“Is [PR romance] meant to convince me to see the movie? Because it does not… There’s something weird about it.”
These comments highlight the growing weariness of fans toward the blurring of real-life relationships with on-screen storytelling as promotional tactics.
The Long-Term Stakes for Actors Caught in Affectionate PR Crossfires
Andrea McDonnell’s analysis underscores the high stakes involved when stars’ personal boundaries collide with strategic PR maneuvers. While rumors and scandal can temporarily boost interest in a film, there is a significant risk that actors’ careers and personal lives will suffer lasting damage.
The expert explains that for stars like Margot Robbie, who maintain largely positive images, the emergence of cheating rumors or affair speculation can be especially harmful, potentially alienating fans and jeopardizing their public standing. She states,
“Most rumors typically do d*e down once the film is released or the press tour ends; however, if the controversy gets too big or stars’ images are permanently damaged by serious claims of harm, it is possible for an actor’s brand to be marked by such events.”
With the entertainment industry already grappling with declining theater attendance, negative publicity carries an additional financial weight. The challenge for stars is to navigate these manufactured storylines without allowing them to define their public personas or overshadow their professional achievements.
Margot Robbie’s experience amid the Wuthering Heights PR backlash poignantly illustrates the complexities faced by celebrities today, caught at the intersection of ambition, media manipulation, and intense public scrutiny. As the film continues to draw attention, the lasting repercussions of these rumors on Robbie’s personal and professional life remain to be seen.
During the filming of Cleopatra (1963), Elizabeth Taylor (married to Eddie Fisher at the time) and Richard Burton (married to Sybil Williams) began a passionate affair on set.
The scandal dominated headlines, with the Vatican even condemning it as ‘erotic vagrancy… pic.twitter.com/rWB36f3VC2
this week ten years ago, kristen stewart was caught cheating on boyfriend robert pattinson with her "snow white and the huntsman" director rupert sanders: pic.twitter.com/ZF7cFEWzSe
This would be called method acting tbh like they never go out of character even when they aren't filming they still act as if they were. always locked in to the roles they are playing 24/7 that would be my best guess. They want the movie to be a success, so always in character.💯
