Hollywood icons Dame Joan Collins and Jane Fonda brought glamour to the red carpet at the 79th Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony at Palais des Festivals on Tuesday night. Joan, aged 92, looked sensational in a white gown paired with a diamond necklace and black gloves. The Dynasty actress was accompanied by her devoted husband Percy Gibson, 61. Jane, 88, who boasts an impressive six-decade career, appeared age-defying in a floor-length black sequin dress. The leading ladies created a buzz as they posed for photographs, drawing attention after years of models dominating the red carpet.
Other Stars on the Red Carpet
Demi Moore, 63, was effortlessly gorgeous in a strapless white sequin gown with a statement diamond necklace. Model Poppy Delevingne, 40, looked stunning in a sheer lace and velvet dress showcasing her elegant style, while former Love Islander Maura Higgins, 35, wore a strapless black and white gown with a large bow at the back. Heidi Klum, 52, cut a stylish figure in a sheer nude dress with pink flower detailing. Influencer Caroline Daur, 31, turned heads in a dramatic red and black feathered strapless gown. Former Made In Chelsea star Kimberley Garner appeared in a pink floral dress.
Film and Jury Highlights
The Electric Kiss, a period romantic comedy-drama directed by Pierre Salvadori, stars Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche, and Vimala Pons. Demi Moore joins Hamnet director Chloé Zhao and actor Stellan Skarsgård on the jury for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Organisers unveiled the nine-member jury that will deliberate on films in competition at the annual French Riviera festival in May. South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook serves as jury president. Other jurors include Irish-Ethiopian actor Ruth Negga, Belgian director Laura Wandel, Chilean director Diego Céspedes, Ivorian American actor Isaach De Bankolé, and Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty.
Speaking at the opening press conference, Demi Moore said she felt 'tremendously honoured to be here. It's such a beautiful experience and one just to be surrounded by cinema and the love of cinema... And who can complain about the beautiful view of this incredible place? I feel like a little kid getting to play a grown-up.' She also shared thoughts on AI in the movie industry, stating, 'AI is here, and so to fight it is a battle that we will lose. So to find ways in which we can work with it, I think is a more valuable path to take. The truth is, there really isn't anything to fear because what it can never replace is what true art comes from, which is not the physical. It comes from the soul.'
Stars including Heidi Klum, Gillian Anderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Riley Keough, and Halsey were among the first to arrive in anticipation of the festival's launch. Emma Thynn claimed the spotlight at a Vanity Fair lunch on day one. This year, the Cannes Film Festival will honour filmmaker Peter Jackson with an honorary Palme d'Or for his body of work blending Hollywood blockbusters and films d'auteur with extraordinary artistic vision and technological audacity. Jackson recalled first coming to Cannes in 1988 to sell his movie Bad Taste and returning in 2002 for Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Last year, honorary Palme d'Or prizes went to Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington. This year's edition runs for eleven days from May 12 to 23.
