Actor Glen Powell has addressed the controversy surrounding a notable kissing scene—or rather, the absence of it—in the recent film “Twisters,” the sequel to the 1996 tornado-chasing classic “Twister.”
Initially, “Twisters” was set to conclude with a romantic kiss between Powell and co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones. Although the scene was filmed, it was ultimately removed from the final cut of the film, which premiered in theaters last month. The decision to cut the kiss has sparked disappointment among some fans, who were expecting a nod to the iconic smooch shared by Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in the original movie.
Many viewers took to social media to express their frustration. Kathleen Newman-Bremang tweeted, “Finally saw Twisters and Glen Powell really gave the yearning romantic leading man performance of the year only for that anti-climatic unsatisfying no kiss ending. I was warned and I still wasn’t ready. We’re losing recipes!!!” Similarly, Clay Keller questioned the motivations behind the cut, saying, “You want me to care what Hollywood executives think? The people complicit in cutting the kiss from Twisters?!?!?!” Bloodhaus Pod chimed in with a critical view, describing the film as a “lame Christian rock cover of a cool 90s song.”
Despite the backlash, Powell remains upbeat about the situation. In an interview with Screen Rant, he remarked, “I’m taking it very personally!” He added with a laugh, “I’m sure you’ve seen the behind-the-scenes, where I did get to kiss Daisy Edgar-Jones, which really is all that counts.” Powell sees the strong reactions from fans as a positive sign of engagement, noting, “People care, which is really great,” and he and Edgar-Jones have enjoyed the “TikToks and the gifs” created in response to the film.
Powell described the response as a “conversation and cultural moment,” suggesting that the lack of a kiss has sparked meaningful discussion. “So, kiss or no kiss, everybody’s a winner,” he concluded.
In a previous interview with Collider, Edgar-Jones hinted that the kiss might have been cut due to input from Steven Spielberg, an executive producer of the original film. She mentioned, “I think it stops the film feeling too clichéd, actually.” Powell echoed this sentiment, explaining that the focus of “Twisters” is not on romantic relationships but on Edgar-Jones’ character returning to her true passion: storm-chasing.
As the debate over the missing kiss continues, Powell and Edgar-Jones appear to be embracing the unexpected buzz around the film, turning controversy into a celebration of audience engagement.
