Did Paramount start its Smile 2 marketing campaign at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA)? It seems likely since the sequel takes place in the pop music universe and the VMAs celebrate that space.
Many fans of the first film remember the publicity stunts that were used to promote it. Just like our VMA creeper, actors were hired to stand in public spaces smiling creepily into a camera. It was an effective ploy and many films have tried to replicate the stunts to promote their own movies.
Paramount has not come out and said that this strange woman is actually a part of their campaign, but, unless she likes to take the most unsettling selfies, we will bet that she was an actor hired to photobomb live television.
Anyone watching the VMA’s ?? @MTV pic.twitter.com/q10tgB9enF
— Jarod Gilles (@JayRockzz100) September 12, 2024
The star of Smile 2, Naomi Scott, was also in attendance at the VMA’s which adds even more evidence that the creepy audience member is a part of the prank. Keep an eye out for more of these grim-grinners until the release of the film.
Smile 2 will be released in theaters on October 18.