UFC icon Conor McGregor has been hailed as a ‘marketing genius’ after hijacking the comments section of Sydney Sweeney’s Instagram to promote his own film debut.
Sweeney was the breakout star of 2024, with her fame rising week after week, culminating in an appearance on Saturday Night Live earlier this month.
The American actress’ film ‘Immaculate’ is released next week, coincidentally just a day after McGregor’s Road House is released on Prime, creating some rivalry between the two Hollywood blockbusters.
McGregor won’t miss the opportunity to promote himself and was quick to take to Sweeney’s Instagram this weekend after she posted a photo of herself with the caption: “IMMACULATE March 22nd.”
In response, the Irishman wrote: “Road House March 21st,” and quickly racked up more than 5,000 likes, becoming the top comment on the post.
Sydney Sweeney wows on the red carpet for the premiere of her new film Immaculate
Conor McGregor, 35, will star in his own film, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, 43
And McGregor hijacked Sweeney’s Instagram on Saturday for shameless self-promotion
Needless to say, his similar number paled into insignificance compared to Sweeney’s original post, which totaled 1.25 million as of Sunday morning.
In the Instagram post, Sweeney, 26, wore a daring white dress on the red carpet to promote the film, in which she stars as a nun in a psychological horror.
McGregor, meanwhile, stars in action film Road House alongside Jake Gyllenhaal – and has been praised by fans for his efforts to promote the film online.
One called him a “marketing genius” for hijacking Sweeney’s popularity, while another added, “The promo on the promo is genius.”
Sweeney’s fame has skyrocketed this year, and she even hosted Saturday Night Live this month
The 26-year-old actress was joined by two of her grandmothers and mother Lisa (pictured left) at the Los Angeles premiere of her thriller Immaculate on Friday.
Sweeney grins during her Saturday Night Live hosting appearance in New York City on March 2
While his acting debut is big news, McGregor insists his first priority is a return to the UFC, and while a fight with Michael Chandler has been in the works for over a year, there is still no date for the fight.
Fans are increasingly concerned that McGregor will never return to the sport at the age of 35, but he recently insisted that ‘negotiations are ongoing’.
When recently asked if Road House would be the start of his acting career, McGregor revealed that he plans to “get back into fighting shape” so he can compete as a UFC fighter again.
He admitted that his filming schedule for Road House was grueling went on: ‘It was hard work, and I’m used to hard work, but the schedule was intense.
“I’m not sure I’ll live to see it again, but it’s in the bank, it’s in the history books. Money may come and go, but this film will be there forever.”
The UFC star will make his acting debut in a film released a day before Sweeney’s
Gyllenhaal bared his sculpted torso in a smoldering poster for the upcoming Road House
Many film critics have praised the UFC star for his acting debut, with some saying he could be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Indie Wire’s film critic Christian Zilko said, “McGregor steals every scene he’s in.
‘It’s unclear how much of what he does is actually acting, as he simply plays a loud and charismatic Irishman who likes to punch people and show off his ridiculous tattoos.
“But his first acting role could make him the Arnold Schwarzenegger of his generation.”