We're all familiar with the philosophical question, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" What about, "If ex-British royals attend the 70th birthday of an American matriarch momager, but there are no photos of them, were they really there?" For me, the answer to both is: who fuckin' cares!
it must be said that the People honor is part of a much larger PR machine that is routinely given to willing stars who have something to promote (actors like Ryan Gosling, Glen Powell, and Pedro Pascal have all reportedly turned it down in the past). It's no coincidence, of course, that Bailey's crowning coincides with the start of what will surely be another all-consuming press tour for Wicked: For Good, and the arrival of his other 2025 blockbuster, Jurassic World Rebirth, on streaming.