Jonathan Bailey tackled the buzz surrounding his red carpet kisses with Scarlett Johansson with charisma and candor. After sharing a series of lip-locking moments with his "Jurassic World Rebirth" co-stars at numerous premieres, the 37-year-old actor opened up to "Entertainment Tonight" about the rationale behind his affectionate pecks to his 40-year-old buddy. "I firmly believe in expressing love in myriad forms," the former "Bridgerton" star articulated to the outlet on Monday. "And if one cannot plant a kiss on their friends... life is simply too fleeting to refrain," he added thoughtfully.
Bailey and Johansson, who is married to Colin Jost, first sparked headlines last week with their pouty display. The duo warmly embraced each other on the London red carpet of their film's premiere, with Johansson glowing in a pink Vivienne Westwood gown, her hand gently caressing Bailey's cheek as he enveloped her in a brown suit. Their fleeting kiss, bathed in smiles, quickly went viral on social media.
At Monday's New York City premiere, Bailey donned a sleek gray suit, while Johansson opted for an ethereal ivory gown. This time, their kiss unfolded in front of Jost, who elegantly coordinated with his wife in a crisp white suit. Social media users were abuzz with the pictures, with one quipping, "This is ripe for an 'SNL' sketch!" Another remarked, "Let's not overcomplicate this. Jonathan is the gay best friend every gal dreams of having."
Johansson and the 42-year-old comedian tied the knot in October 2020 and are parents to a 3-year-old son named Cosmo. Jost also plays stepfather to Johansson's 10-year-old daughter, Rose, from her previous marriage to Romain Dauriac.
As for Bailey, the "Broadchurch" veteran came out to his loved ones in his 20s and publicly in 2018. Reflecting on his journey in a 2022 interview with GQ, he said, "I once believed that being straight was a prerequisite for happiness. But I hit a wall and thought, 'To hell with this.' I'd rather hold my boyfriend's hand in public or use my actual photo on Tinder without fearing it might jeopardize my career." He keeps his romantic life under wraps, disclosing to the Evening Standard last year that he was seeing a "wonderful man."
In a 2024 interview, Bailey, who refrained from naming his partner, further shared, "I'm not sure I'd possess the confidence to speak up on other matters if I felt my entire life was on public display."
