I am utterly captivated by the extraordinary journey of Daisy Edgar-Jones, a young actress who seems to have mastered the art of striking the perfect balance between authenticity and showmanship. Her life experience is not just a series of roles or red carpet appearances, but a testament to her innate understanding of what it takes to connect with an audience in this digital age.
On July 14th, Universal Pictures’ marketing team was nearing the end of their promotional efforts for the summer blockbuster “Twisters”. That’s when they managed to seize the essence of a thunderbolt in their campaign.
During a tough day filled with consecutive interviews, Daisy Edgar-Jones, the film’s leading lady, spontaneously taught her fellow actors Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos the dance from Charli XCX’s “Apple” song. Noticing an exciting moment taking place, Edgar-Jones called a cameraman to capture it and shared the footage on her Instagram account. The impromptu dance on the Burbank lot quickly became viral. Edgar-Jones’ post received close to 10 million views, while Ramos’ TikTok version garnered over 18 million. Even the “Apple” singer, who has no connection with the movie, re-shared the dance moves of the “Twisters” stars. Unlike many promotional efforts, this one wasn’t planned by a group of studio executives. Instead, it was one of numerous spontaneous moments orchestrated by the lead actress herself.
“According to Universal’s chief marketing officer, Michael Moses, she possesses an exceptional ability to connect with an audience without appearing contrived or insincere,” he noted. He added that many people are hesitant to put in the effort required for promotion these days. Therefore, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone like Daisy who didn’t need persuading.”
In reality, Edgar-Jones, who was the main focus of the film, took on a significant portion of the workload because Powell was busy filming the A24 black comedy “Huntington” in South Africa until just two weeks before the movie’s July 19 premiere. The 26-year-old British actress spent her time traveling around the country, from Dallas to Miami, doing everyday activities such as buying cowboy boots and getting her hands messy at a barbecue restaurant. Even after Powell joined in, Edgar-Jones continued to actively promote the movie, creating a memorable moment by drinking beers with Luke Combs and Powell onstage during a concert in New Jersey.
Moses explains, “Many people say, ‘I’m a movie star, I don’t drink beer like that.’ However, it was the things said outside of the interview that truly made an impact.”
It’s clear that Universal believes Edgar-Jones’ acting style successfully attracted audiences, contributing significantly to the film’s record-breaking $81 million opening in the U.S. and Canada within the natural disaster subgenre. To date, this movie, featuring a meteorologist (Edgar-Jones) and a renowned storm chaser (Powell), battling a chain of destructive tornadoes, has amassed a total of $274 million globally.
Consequently, Edgar-Jones has emerged as this season’s breakthrough star, aligning herself with Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney in a select group of 20-something actresses that the major film studios are investing in. These three actresses, who embody a new generation of TV stars transitioning to cinema while leveraging their social media popularity, have each appeared in at least two films surpassing the $100 million mark. Additionally, studio executives find Edgar-Jones particularly appealing as she echoes the archetype of the ’90s female movie star – relatable and inspirational, reminiscent of Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock, who conveyed to viewers that being a Hollywood A-lister was enjoyable rather than demanding.
Prior to her role in “Twisters,” the actress who was represented by UTA had already built up an impressive resume: She starred as the lead in Sony’s 2022 murder mystery “Where the Crawdads Sing,” which grossed $144 million globally during a year that was still grappling with COVID-19, and she also headlined the 12-episode series “Normal People” on Hulu and BBC Three. This show turned out to be BBC Three’s most popular series of 2020 with a staggering 62.7 million views.
When it was time for the main character of “Twister” to be chosen, director Lee Isaac Chung had already taken notice of Edgar-Jones. Later, she sent him a letter without being asked to do so.
“Chung remarks, ‘I was amazed at how carefully thought-out and articulate it was, and it stood out to me.’ Following this, we arranged a meeting and spent several extended walks along the Los Angeles River discussing the script. No audition was required. In fact, Steven Spielberg had already admired Daisy’s work, and when he learned I was in discussions with her about the role, he wholeheartedly supported me, as did Universal. This decisive backing significantly influenced the outcome.'”
In a swift manner, she successfully impressed not just one but two production studios’ marketing departments – Universal handling the domestic launch, while Warner Bros. managing the global premiere. Prior to the promotional campaign for “Twisters”, Edgar-Jones had separate meetings with the marketing team behind “Barbenheimer”, acting as if she was preparing for an important exam. Moses notes that she was alone, sat down with her notebook and displayed a genuine eagerness and determination to tackle a major summer blockbuster, which is quite uncommon in my experience.
She significantly improved her social media presence and now boasts 2.3 million Instagram followers, but social media numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. For instance, Selena Gomez, who is currently the monarch with a whopping 426 million Instagram followers, saw her zombie satire “The Dead Don’t Die” earn only $15.3 million in 2019, despite its premiere at Cannes that year. However, the promotion strategy for “Twisters,” led by Edgar-Jones, took marketing to a new level by focusing heavily on TikTok-compatible clips.
Moving forward, it’s been reported that the actress is considering various scripts, ranging from romantic comedies to erotic thrillers, which some see as a nostalgic return to the ’90s. Additionally, there’s speculation about a potential sequel to “Twister,” although no official discussions have taken place yet.
Chung proposes that Edgar-Jones should reveal a more playful or humorous aspect of herself, a trait which her fans are familiar with.
He observes that she’s an exceptionally talented physical comic. She brought plenty of laughs during filming, and if she were to take on such a role, she’d undoubtedly be side-splittingly funny.
If she continues on a path similar to Roberts, Bullock, or even a Meg Ryan, she might create comedies that are not only side-splittingly funny but also highly financially successful.
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2024-08-07 19:17