The Chemistry Is Obvious in the First Stills From Red, White & Royal Blue
The Red, White & Royal Blue movie has been hotly anticipated by enemies-to-lovers enjoyers the world over since it was first announced way back in 2019. Now, four years later, we're finally getting a first glimpse at the adaptation, which is set to hit Prime Video on August 11.
Adapted from the hit bestselling novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue depicts a romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and Prince Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor (Nicholas Galitzine). The former is the son of the president of the U.S. (played by Uma Thurman, no less), the latter is a member of the British royal family, and the two have mutually feuded for years.
Red White and Royal Blue
But after a messy public altercation at a wedding (literally — they fall on top of a cake), Alex and Henry are forced to make friends with each other to avoid a PR crisis. That quickly turns to an actual friendship, which turns to a friendship with benefits, which turns to — you guessed it — a bona fide romance. But naturally, the two young men's relationship is tested by the pressures of existing as members of two incredibly powerful political families.
Red White and Royal Blue
Matthew López, who co-wrote the adaptation with Ted Malawer, recently told Glamour that the book means a good deal to him personally. "I never imagined I'd read a book with a queer Latine character at the center — a character who is smart and passionate and flawed and hopeful," he said, adding that having the book when he was younger "might have made it a little easier" and that he "knew immediately that I wanted to bring it to the screen."
And judging from the stills, López and the rest of the team behind Red, White & Royal Blue did an incredible job. Somehow, even the cake scene looks like a Baroque painting.
Red White and Royal Blue
We also get a look at Thurman as President Ellen Claremont embracing her son Alex, and what appears to be a late night rendezvous at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Red White and Royal Blue
Also, for all you horny gremlins out there, it should be noted that the movie is indeed R-rated. To that end, the stars themselves have emphasized that they have tons of chemistry. Zakhar Perez told Glamour that even though he and Galitzine didn't have time to grab lunch together before jumping into filming, they "hit it off right away," adding, "We just had to trust each other." Galitzine also drew comparisons between the actors and their characters, telling the publication, "We have this public [banter] with each other, but privately we're really, really close mates."
Red White and Royal Blue
"That's kind of Alex and Henry in a lot of ways, negging each other and pushing each other's buttons," Galitzine added. "Taylor and I spoke the same language, had the same humor. You need to have a partner in crime to embody these roles, and I think it's so palpable when costars don't have the chemistry [that we do.]"
All in all, it seems as though Red, White & Royal Blue is going to be the escapist summer viewing of our dreams. Catch us firmly on the couch on August 11.
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