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.
Jury members Demi Moore and Ruth Negga impressed in their high-fashion looks — and have continued to do so as the event has progressed — accompanied by the likes of Jane Fonda, Gillian Anderson (who is experiencing one very successful Cannes debut), Heidi Klum, Kelly Rutherford, Dame Joan Collins and The Fashion and the Furious cast, including the late Paul Walker’s daughter, Meadow.
Demi Moore attends the La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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Jury member Demi Moore offset the red carpet beautifully in a shimmery, lavender gown by Gucci on the second evening of the festival. A dramatic train, wet-look hair, and a transparent skirt ensured the outfit would go down in the Cannes Film Festival fashion history books.
Meadow Walker attends The Fast And The Furious screening on May 13.
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Making her Cannes Film Festival red carpet debut, Meadow Walker — the only child of the late Paul Walker — joined her The Fashion and the Furious family for a 25th anniversary screening of the film in a ribbed, gold two-piece.
Jordana Brewster attends The Fast And The Furious screening on May 13.
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Jordana Brewster changed from the pinstripe pantsuit she had worn for The Fashion and the Furious photo-call into a black dress for the film’s anniversary screening, featuring a ribcage-to-ankle lace panel.
Michelle Rodriguez attends The Fast And The Furious screening on May 13.
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Michelle Rodriguez opted for a more ethereal red carpet ensemble for The Fashion and the Furious screening — a metallic, embellished ballgown featuring a corset and a layered, tulle train.
Vin Diesel attends The Fast And The Furious screening on May 13.
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Vin Diesel clearly demonstrated his loyalty to The Fashion and the Furious franchise with his outfit: a personalized suit jacket featuring the car his character drives in the movies — a 1970 Dodge Charger.
Gillian Anderson attends La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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Gillian Anderson — making her Cannes debut in honor of her movie Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma — kept things simple at the film’s screening in a minimalist Miu Miu white column dress, enhanced by beaded accents.
Aja Naomi King attends La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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How To Get Away With Murder alumna Aja Naomi King was another star who wore white. For the screening of La Vie D’Une Femme (A Woman’s Life), King paired a choker with a floral lace-effect gown finished off with ruffled sleeves.
Ruth Negga attends La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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Also at the La Vie D’Une Femme screening, jury member Ruth Negga showcased her sartorial prowess in a tulle and lace black gown by Saint Laurent.
Sara Sampaio attends La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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Model and Victoria’s Secret Angel Sara Sampaio shimmered in her choice of attire at the La Vie D’Une Femme screening: an iridescent, strapless dress with a peplum waist.
Alia Bhatt attends La Vie D’Une Femme screening on May 13.
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Another strong look from British-Indian actor Alia Bhatt who made her Cannes debut, due to her work as a L’Oréal Paris ambassador, at the event’s opening ceremony. For the La Vie D’Une Femme screening, Bhatt wore a Danielle Frankel gown with a lace choker and a full skirt.
Jordana Brewster poses during The Fast and the Furious photo-call on May 13.
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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.
Michelle Rodriguez before a special screening of The Fast and the Furious.
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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 at The Fast and the Furious photo-call on May 13.
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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 at a photo-call for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on May 13.
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Gillian Anderson wore an embellished Miu Miu 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 enviable disco curls, was the real triumph.
Demi Moore wearing Jacquemus at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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Demi Moore chose to repeat the silhouette — and designer — she had worn earlier that day for the opening ceremony. 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.
Ruth Negga wearing Dior at the opening ceremony dinner on May 12.
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Also at the opening ceremony, Ruth Negga gave a nod to the ’90s in a Dior mint green negligee-inspired slip dress with black lace accents and dramatic fringing.
Jane Fonda wearing Gucci at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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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.
Kelly Rutherford wearing Giorgio Armani at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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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.
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu wearing Saint Laurent at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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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 wearing Elie Saab at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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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.
Joan Collins wearing Stéphane Rolland couture at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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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.
Mette-Marie Kongsved and Elijah Wood attend the opening ceremony of Cannes Film Festival 2026.
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Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood walked the red carpet with his wife, Danish producer Mette-Marie Kongsved, on May 12 ahead of presenting Peter Jackson with his Palme d’Or award for lifetime achievements.
Poppy Delevingne wearing John Galliano at the opening ceremony on May 12.
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Poppy Delevingne represented Britain in a John Galliano dress, featuring lace accents and a flared hem. Chopard jewels finished the look.
Alia Bhatt wearing custom Tamara Ralph haute couture on May 12.
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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.
Demi Moore wearing Jacquemus.
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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.
Ruth Negga wearing Celine on Tuesday.
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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.
Gillian Anderson wearing Huishan Zhang.
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For a Vanity Fair lunch on day one of the festival, Anderson wore a Huishan Zhang button-down dress.