Vanity Fair has sparked controversy by featuring only men on the cover of its 32nd annual Hollywood Issue. The three covers showcase actors Jeremy Allen White, A$AP Rocky, Glen Powell, LaKeith Stanfield, Callum Turner, Riz Ahmed, Jonathan Bailey, Harris Dickinson, Andrew Garfield, Paul Mescal, Michael B. Jordan, and Austin Butler. Readers have questioned the absence of women, particularly given ongoing concerns about gender inequality in Hollywood and a reported rise in misogyny following Donald Trump's election.
Social media reactions have been mixed, with some praising the selection while others criticised the decision. One Instagram user asked: “What happened to the women?” Another commented: “I have to assume Vanity Fair is also doing an all women cover as well right?” A third joked: “I feel like we’ve heard enough of the boys,” referencing the issue’s title “Let’s hear it for the boys.”
Vanity Fair’s global editorial director Mark Guiducci defended the all-male cover as a commentary on modern Hollywood. He stated: “Together, the actors on these three covers of Vanity Fair’s 32nd annual Hollywood Issue illustrate something different. These are not the matinee idols of early cinema... Our new leading men are something much more radical: mere mortals.” He added that the actors are “good guys rather than strongmen or bad boys.”
The Hollywood Issue traditionally honours rising stars and is seen as the start of awards season. The first issue in 1995 featured only women, including Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The magazine alternated between all-male and all-female covers for its first three years before becoming co-ed. Vanity Fair has not yet responded to requests for comment.
