'Why they touching each other so much': Fans react to Vanessa Kirby stroking on-screen husband Pedro Pascal’s face as they promote Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel’s new Fantastic Four film, Fantastic Four: First Steps, has only been released in UK cinemas today, Thursday July 24, but it has already got fans talking.

In addition, to the best and worst dressed stars of the film at the recent premiere, people have also been commenting on the behaviour of two of the main stars.

37-year-old Vanessa Kirby and Pedro Pascal, aged 50, play husband and wife Reed Richards and Sue Storm, AKA Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, in the new film. Their characters are obviously closely connected in the film and the pair seem to have a good friendship in real life, judging by their affectionate behaviour towards each other.

But, fans have taken to X to express their shock after Vanessa started stroking Pedro’s neck during a recent joint interview the pair gave about the film. A clip of the moment has now gone viral on the social media platform.

One fan commented and questioned: “Why they touching each other so much”. One person simply said: “This is insane.” A third added: “Why is she rubbing him like that? Weird.”

Others, however, were more understanding of the siutation as Pedro has spoken out previously about his anxiety and how he handles this. “Because she knows him and is being a good friend . He suffers from anxiety and physical touch calms him. He's pretty open about this,” one fan said.

Another person said their tacticle nature was expected given how closely they have worked together: “The just played a married couple for 2 years. What do you expect?”

Pedro has previously said that physical touch helps to calm him when he gets anxiety – and as a result he is known for posing in what has become his trademark pose, standing with his hand on his chest.

During a screening event of his Sky/HBO series The Last of Us in 2023, Pedro told co-star Bella Ramsey during an interview with Deadline: "You know why? It’s because my anxiety is right here." In response, Bella also adopted the same pose as her co-star.

Vanessa is expecting her first child with American lacrosse player partner Paul Rabil, who she is reportedly engaged to. Further demonstrating the close friendship she has with her on-screen husband, she posed alongside Pedro at the Fantastic Four: First Steps premiere, which was held earlier this week, while he rested his hand on her baby bump.