Exclusive Interview
Kelly Rowland & Method Man on Their Pitch-Perfect Slow Burn in ‘Relationship Goals’ (VIDEO)
What To Know
- Kelly Rowland and Cliff “Method Man” Smith star in the rom-com Relationship Goals, which premieres on Prime Video on February 4.
- The film explores the dynamic between Leah and Jarrett, who share a deep history and chemistry.
- Swooon spoke with Rowland, Smith, and the rest of the cast about Leah and Jarrett’s relationship, favorite romance tropes, and more.
When Kelly Rowland and Cliff “Method Man” Smith team up for a rom-com, you know they’re going to cook up something good. In Relationship Goals, based on Michael Todd’s bestseller, Rowland plays TV producer Leah Caldwell, who wants to become the first woman running New York’s top morning show. However, her quest faces a major hurdle when her ex-boyfriend, Jarrett Roy (Smith), shows up to compete for the same position.
Given their history, there’s some unresolved tensions (OK, more like feelings) between Leah and Jarrett. They also know how to make each other better and push each other’s buttons. Rowland and Smith spoke with Swooon about tapping into that initial enemies-to-lovers dynamic between their characters and why they’re still so drawn to one another years later.
Rowland said her costar had this onscreen essence about him that was “really impressive.” She explained, “It wasn’t too strong, but it was just enough. He’s like, ‘I’m here. I want the job, too.’ It was strong but reserved, and I thought that was really impressive of him. He wasn’t trying. He just kind of fell into place. Jarrett could unintentionally take up the space in the room, and that was very impressive of Cliff.”
Amanda Matlovich / Prime
Smith noted that Leah and Jarrett can’t resist falling back into each other’s orbits because of how much they have in common. “They basically came up together as interns, cut their teeth together, and both of them have done pretty well for themselves in that field. Something pulled them apart, but something even stronger brought them back together.”
He continued, “I think Jarrett notices it way before Leah does because she’s more focused on what’s important to her in that moment: her job, the loss of her mom, and her relationship with her friends.”
Throughout the rom-com, Leah has the support of her two best friends, Brenda (Robin Thede) and Treese (Annie Gonzalez), who are also dealing with love life hurdles of their own. Since we’re talking about relationships, we had to ask the actresses about their favorite romance tropes.
“My favorite trope is a man doing something performative to win a woman who doesn’t want to be with him,” Thede explained, citing John Cusack‘s boombox moment in Say Anything and Larenz Tate‘s poem to Nia Long in Love Jones.
Thede stressed that she loves a “public display” in a rom-com. Turns out, Gonzalez has had that happen to her in real-life. “And it worked,” she quipped.
Watch the full video above to get more scoop from the cast of Relationship Goals.
Relationship Goals, Movie Premiere, February 4, Prime Video
