David Corenswet and Jonathan Bailey recently sat down for a wide-ranging chat as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series.Antonio Masiello / Getty Images, Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty ImagesAnd at one point during the 42-minute conversation, David and Jonathan bonded over the fact that they’ve both filmed airborne kissing scenes.Of course, David played the titular Superman in James Gunn’s 2025 release, while Jonathan played Fiyero in Wicked: For Good.© Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett CollectionIn the musical, which was released last month, Fiyero is carried mid-air by Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as they sing “As Long As You’re Mine.”Giles Keyte / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett CollectionAnd during their conversation, David told Jonathan that he was amazed at how “masculine” he appeared during the scene. “You had the bigger challenge. You are carried by Cynthia. She’s levitating you,” he began.“Every man out there would think, There’s no way you can look masculine and powerful and in control when you’re being levitated by a woman,” he continued, to which Jonathan said, “My greatest privilege.”“You somehow, in that moment, when she’s lifting you by your arms…You somehow maintain your masculinity,” David said, adding, “It was amazing.”“Well done, mate. ‘Cause it’s a lot easier when you get to carry the girl,” he told Jonathan.In response, Jonathan briefly paused and then said, “Oh my God, yeah. It was a total honor. And also, I mean, listen. I’d be carried by both Cynthia and Ari for the rest of my life if I could be. What a treat to be able to come and do my bit, but also to share a moment like that.”David’s comments quickly went viral and sparked a mixed reaction online. “I get what he was trying to say but the way he said it,” one person tweeted. “jonny trying to redirect david from the weird masculinity comment by saying it was his greatest privilege and he would gladly be carried by both cynthia and ari and then david doubling down is painful to watch ngl,” another user said.Karwai Tang / Getty Images“i got the ick so fast from this video,” someone said, while another person echoed, “‘You somehow maintained your masculinity’ is giving such an ick. There is nothing to maintain.”Nbc / Getty ImagesSeveral other users jumped to David’s defense, with one person writing, “Being carried and vulnerable isn’t what society would deem as masculine at all, so David, as a man, is complimenting Jonathan. Men are allowed to have opinions on their shared experiences, that doesn’t make it anti woman/feminity.”River Callaway / Getty Images“he literally says that SOCIETY AND ESPECIALLY MOST MEN would see that as emasculating??? which is true??” another post read, while one more user echoed, “isn’t he quite literally saying that the movie does a good job conveying how he can still appear masculine despite the woman character being the one with much greater power and in control of him, he seems to be complimenting the movie for not adhering to toxic masculine roles.”Dave Benett / Getty ImagesClose