Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby's handsy behaviour under scanner

During The Fantastic Four: First Steps promotions, its lead stars Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby have been under the scanner for their handsy behaviour.

Both actors then addressed the matter and defended their actions. But, Achilles PR founder Doug Eldridge has a different take on the issue. He believed, “Nine times out of 10, this tactic is used as a buzz-builder, whether for the studio that financed the film. 

Or the actors themselves, especially if the latter are up-and-comers, who haven't developed household name recognition yet. But again, there is always the '10th time' which could bring skepticism and, more importantly, scrutiny," the expert told The Fox News Digital.

He continued, "Pascal uses touch as a 'grounding' technique to navigate social situations, which might otherwise trigger his anxiety. Skeptics claim that's a farce, but clinical professionals have acknowledged the validity of this technique."

"Wherever you fall on this particular case, the real 'winner' is the studio, as the internet has been filled with clicks and commentary surrounding Pascal, all of which creates a groundswell of buzz and potential 'butts in the buckets' for the upcoming release of ‘The Fantastic Four’ re-make," he concluded.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is playing in cinemas now.