Jonathan Bailey has addressed the buzz surrounding his kiss with Scarlett Johansson at the New York premiere of their forthcoming movie Jurassic World Rebirth.
The latest installment in the blockbuster franchise is set to hit theaters on July 2.
Set five years after the events of 2022's Jurassic World Dominion, the film follows Zora (Johansson), a covert operations expert on a high-stakes mission to retrieve the genetic material of the world’s three largest dinosaurs.
According to the official synopsis, Zora’s journey to an "isolated equatorial environment" is derailed when she crosses paths with a civilian family stranded after their boat is capsized by marauding aquatic dinosaurs.
The two groups find themselves trapped on an island with a chilling secret that’s been buried for decades.
But it wasn’t just the dinosaurs making headlines at the film’s premiere on Monday (June 23).
Lead actors Johansson, 40, and Bailey, 37, drew attention when they shared a brief kiss on the lips while posing for photos with co-stars Mahershala Ali and Rupert Friend.
The moment, reminiscent of a similar kiss they shared at the London premiere on June 17, quickly made the rounds online, as people questioned the reaction of Johanson's husband.
When asked about the smooch, Bailey delivered a three-word response that summed up his outlook: “Life’s too short," per PEOPLE.
“I believe in being able to show love in all different ways,” he continued. “And if you can’t kiss your friends... life’s too short not to.”
The Bridgerton star, who is openly gay, kept things casual at the event in a white scoop-neck t-shirt, light gray cardigan, and gray trousers, accessorized with black leather loafers and bold gold geometric sunglasses with pink gradient lenses.
Johansson, who has been married to Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost for four years, stunned in a cream, mermaid-style gown.
She and her husband coordinated outfits for the night, with the comedian in a white linen suit, matching button-down, and white sneakers.
Despite some online chatter questioning the public kisses, the stars' friendly affection is well within bounds. Bailey’s rapid rise in Hollywood has also opened up important conversations about LGBTQ representation.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he spoke candidly about leading a major film as an out gay actor.
“There’s moments where, yes, you have to be excellent to prove that you can do it. And it’s not like I haven’t felt that. There’s the weight of history,” Bailey said. “And there’s endless brilliant people who have come before you who have changed the way that people see sexuality.”
“Any sort of sense of prejudice against sexuality is something to fight against, and what better way to do that than to go and play any kind of character,” he added. “Being an out gay actor, historically, meant that you wouldn't be able to play straight and there weren't any gay parts to play anyway. That's obviously changed massively.”
Jurassic World Rebirth will be out in theaters next month.