Drew Barrymore and Orlando Bloom, two Hollywood icons, recently joined forces for the first time to film a Super Bowl commercial for MSC Cruises. The ad, set to air during Super Bowl XIV on February 9th, 2025, highlights the blend of American and European styles found on MSC World America cruises.
Bloom shared with PEOPLE that the commercial plays on the cultural differences between the two stars, creating humorous banter that reflects the unique experience offered by MSC Cruises. “There’s a sort of American and European sense of humor to the banter between us that I think has a certain charm to it, while highlighting those aspects of what MSC World America offers, which is a bit of an American flair and a European style, which is cool,” he explained.
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A 15-second teaser released on January 23rd offers a glimpse of this dynamic. It features Barrymore playing a rather off-key rendition of Madonna’s “Holiday” on the piano, much to Bloom’s amusement. “Was that good?” she asks, to which Bloom wincingly replies, “Not great.” Barrymore, unfazed, continues playing with a smile. The teaser concludes with the message “The holiday begins 02.09.25” and a scene of Barrymore enthusiastically singing while Bloom looks on. This marks both the brand’s and Bloom’s Super Bowl commercial debut.
Barrymore revealed to PEOPLE that she and Bloom connected before filming, despite never having met previously. “I had never met Orlando…So I was so delighted when I found out he wanted to pregame and get to know each other beforehand,” she said. They spent an hour discussing their approach to the script over the phone. “He’s just a really nice guy and he cares,” Barrymore added. “And it’s nice because when somebody cares, it doesn’t make you feel weird for caring.”
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The two-day shoot proved to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Barrymore noted that the filming became “more fun as we went along,” a rare occurrence in her experience. Bloom echoed this sentiment, describing Barrymore as “a ton of fun,” “incredibly thoughtful and engaging,” “super kind,” “very funny,” and “charming.”
For Bloom, a self-professed travel enthusiast, the partnership with MSC Cruises was a natural fit. “It emphasizes what a fun time you can have as a family on a vacation like at MSC Cruises,” he stated. Barrymore, who shares Bloom’s passion for travel, emphasized the convenience of a cruise vacation, saying that MSC Cruises is “for all the people who don’t know where and how to plan, it’s all taken care of.” The Super Bowl commercial promises to showcase this appeal to a global audience.
