The Cannes Film Festival has always been about more than movies — and these stars prove it.


Jane Fonda and Demi Moore on the red carpet in Cannes on May 13.

Fresh off the heels of the Met Gala, we’re straight into another A-list event: the Cannes Film Festival. Now in its 79th edition, the historic festival has once again transformed the French Riviera — where The White Lotus Season 4 is currently filming, FYI — into a global stage where film, fashion, celebrity and culture collide.

This is a festival where anything can happen. Standing ovations can turn directors into household names. Premieres can launch Oscar campaigns. And outfit choices can go down in history (who can forget Bella Hadid’s red Alexandre Vauthier gown, Julia Roberts going barefoot in Armani Privé and Princess Diana in a powder blue Catherine Walker). That’s why it pays to pay attention to who’s there, what’s screening and what everyone’s wearing.

This year promises to be as headline-worthy as ever, with a star-studded jury and both Barbra Streisand and Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson in town to receive honorary Palme d'Or awards for lifetime achievements. The latter was presented with his award on Tuesday by Elijah Wood, who famously played Frodo Baggins in the epic trilogy.

Back to the fashion. The event’s opening ceremony served up its usual splendor, with a number of celebrities dressing diplomatically in French labels. While there have been concerns that this year’s edition of the festival would miss its normal injection of glamour due to major Hollywood studios largely skipping the event, a handful of iconic A-listers ensured the Croisette still sparkled.

In Cannes for a 25th anniversary screening of The Fast and the Furious at midnight on Wednesday, actor Jordana Brewster settled on a pinstripe pantsuit for her French Riviera debut. A statement pearl choker completed the look.

Joining Brewster, was her fellow female lead in the franchise, Michelle Rodriguez. The actor arrived wearing slouchy white suit pants, worn with a loose-fitting shirt and chunky Isabel Marant sneakers.

Meadow Walker, the only child of Paul Walker, who died in 2013, paired jeans with a statement belt, white shirt and tailored jacket. Meadow Walker appeared in the 2023 film from The Fast and the Furious franchise, titled Fast X.

Gillian Anderson wore an embellished column dress to Wednesday’s photo-call for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, her latest film, directed by Jane Schoenbrun. But her hair, blown out in all its natural glory, was the real triumph.

Jury member Demi Moore chose to repeat the silhouette — and designer — she had worn on Tuesday. She traded her daytime look — a playful, polka dot Jacquemus number — for another strapless, sculpted gown. But this time, the dress was sleek, floor-length and coated in sequins.

Fellow actor and jury member Ruth Negga, who earlier had complimented Moore’s white look in a slouchy Celine pantsuit in the same shade, gave a nod to the ’90s in a Dior mint green negligee-inspired slip dress with black lace accents and dramatic fringing.

Jane Fonda was also in attendance — and also opted for sequins. The actor’s high-neck, long-sleeve and floor-sweeping black Gucci gown ensured she glittered from head to toe.

Fonda’s look was not dissimilar to that of Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford, who also walked the red carpet in a black, glittering dress — but a more transparent take from Giorgio Armani, without the high neck.

Another standout, yet surprising, look was delivered by Emily in Paris star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who is known for her fairly minimalist outfits — and this is anything but. Nevertheless, the actor was as fashion-forward as ever in a plum ruffled Saint Laurent gown, complete with a train.

Heidi Klum, a week after her head-turning statuesque Met Gala outfit, was back to looking like her model self in a peach gown by Elie Saab. The sculptured dress was adorned with an oversize flower on the bodice, a twist design at the waist and a cascading train.

We would be remiss to exclude Joan Collins from this lineup. The British legend, known for her role in Dynasty, defied her 92 years in an eye-catching orchid-inspired Stéphane Rolland couture dress, paired with diamonds and opera gloves.

Poppy Delevingne represented Britain in a John Galliano dress, featuring lace accents and a flared hem. Chopard jewels finished the look.

British-Indian actor Alia Bhatt was dressed in a Tamara Ralph haute couture gown for her Cannes red carpet debut. The bright coral silk crêpe corseted column dress featured a structured neckline and plunging cutout detail and was accompanied by a silk voile chiffon scarf.

The first fits of the season were revealed on Tuesday at the jury photo-call — the daytime event that always kicks off proceedings. All eyes were on Moore, one of this year’s jury members, who chose a playful ensemble for the occasion: a strapless, fishtail dress adorned with polka dots and a matching bag plucked from the Jacquemus Fall 2026 collection. A celebratory look that got us excited for the other outfits Moore and stylist Brad Goreski have packed.

Negga was equally fashion-forward on Tuesday. The Ethiopian-Irish actor, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2017 for her role in Loving, wore chic yet slouchy wide-leg white satin pants and a matching blouse from French fashion house Celine.

For a Vanity Fair lunch on day one of the festival, Anderson wore a Huishan Zhang button-down dress.

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Posted by Temmy
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