In an unusual promotional stunt, fans gathered in Los Angeles on Monday night for an early screening of the absurdist sci-fi comedy Bugonia — but there was a catch. The theatre only admitted bald people.
Fans Shave Heads to Watch Emma Stone’s Latest Film
The film’s distributor, Focus Features, invited audiences to shave their heads for entry. The event celebrated Oscar-winning actor Emma Stone’s latest collaboration with acclaimed Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. The pair previously worked together on Poor Things and The Favourite, both of which earned critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations.
Bugonia will open in select theatres on Friday before expanding across the United States on October 31.
Plot Mirrors Real-Life Event
In Bugonia, Stone portrays Michelle Fuller, a powerful pharmaceutical CEO who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorist cousins convinced she’s an alien. As part of their bizarre plan, they shave her head — a detail that inspired the film’s unique screening rule.
Fans Embrace the Bald-Only Challenge
A barber was stationed in the foyer, where fans like Sam Sherman eagerly stepped up for a buzz cut.
“I was already thinking of shaving my head,” Sherman said. “When I saw the post about this, I thought, that’s the perfect excuse — I get to see Bugonia early and get a free haircut.”
Matthew Lopez, 29, called the bald screening “immersive,” saying, “It’s almost like, ‘I did it, she did it.’ It makes me feel connected to the story.”
For 36-year-old Richard Chong, the event was both fun and practical. “I like the director — he’s weird and brilliant,” Chong said. “My friends hate my bowl cut, and my wife really hates it, so this is for them.”
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