By India McCarty
Eagle-eyed fans think actor Kevin James has mounted an interesting stealth marketing campaign for new movie SOLO MIO — is the KING OF QUEENS star posing as an art teacher online?
“You are Kevin James! You are not going to gaslight me into thinking your name is Matt Taylor. I know who you are,” one person commented on a video posted to an account allegedly belonging to Taylor.
The account contains many videos of James/Taylor painting and talking about his life — including his search for love.
Some people have even joined in on the fun; one person defended Taylor in a TikTok, saying, “Matt Taylor is not Kevin James, he was my actual art teacher,” and joking that this “art teacher” started out “as a delivery driver for IPS where he called himself ‘The King of Queens’” and worked “as a mall cop” — all references to James’ previous work on THE KING OF QUEENS and PAUL BLART: MALL COP.
Related: Jonathan Roumie’s Next Movie? A Rom-Com With Kevin James
While some thought it was either a bizarre case of a lookalike, or simply James playing a prank, others quickly found a connection between Taylor and James’ upcoming movie, romcom SOLO MIO.
“A wedding disaster leaves the groom stranded in Rome, heartbroken in the world’s happiest city,” a synopsis of the movie reads. “But with one determined local — and a few meddling vacation couples — in his corner, his ruined honeymoon becomes an adventure he never expected. Because sometimes heartbreak is just the first chapter of a better story.”
James stars alongside Alyson Hannigan, Kim Coates, and THE CHOSEN’s Jonathan Roumie. SOLO MIO will be distributed by Angel Studios who, according to a spokesperson, have no clue who Matt Taylor is.
“We are as surprised as anyone by all the Matt Taylor speculation online,” the spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement about the movie, Angel President Jordan Harmon said, “We saw SOLO MIO, and the feeling was incredible. We knew it was a perfect fit for Angel to release to a broad audience. Kevin James and Jonathan Roumie bring heart, humor, and originality to this uplifting tale of rediscovery, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience it in theaters.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be partnered with Angel on SOLO MIO,” producer Jeffrey Greenstein added. “This is a film that people need to see in theaters. The world just needs fun, heartfelt content with a strong message, and we’re excited to get them back into the theaters to see this one.”
SOLO MIO hits theaters February 6! Check back to movieguide.org for the full review closer to the release date!
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