Originally appeared on E! Online
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival is ready for its close-up.
The prestigious celebration of cinema kicked off May 12, with celebrities from across the globe gathering in Cannes, France, for the festival’s opening ceremony.
And this year’s guest list is packed with stars. Not only are Demi Moore, Stellan Skarsgård, Ruth Negga and Chloé Zhao serving on the jury panel, but many movies with star-studded casts are in the running for the famed Palme d’Or.
Take Paper Tigers, a crime drama starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Miles Teller premiering at the festival May 16. Meanwhile, Fjord—costarring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a couple relocating their family to Norway—is set to make its debut May 19.
Plus, the famous staircase in front of the Palais des Festivals is considered the place to check out celebrity fashion. After all, the Cannes Film Festival is known for its strict black-tie dress code, requiring tuxedos for men and evening gowns for women.
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“Alternatively, you may also wear ‘a little black dress,’ a cocktail dress, a dark-colored pantsuit, a dressy top with black pants,” the festival’s website noted, “elegant shoes and sandals with or without a heel (no sneakers); a black or navy-blue suit with bow-tie or dark-colored tie.”
Unlike the recent Met Gala, the 12-day event has also banned naked dresses and “voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater.”
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But that’s not to say some A-listers have stuck to the rules in the past. Bella Hadid freed the nipple in 2024, while Kristen Stewart famously ditched her heels in and walked the red carpet barefoot.
“People get very upset at you if you don’t wear heels or something, whatever,” the Twilight alum quipped to The Hollywood Reporter the year prior. “But I feel like you can’t ask people that anymore. It’s just kind of a given. Like, if you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.”
To see all the celebrities at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, keep reading…
Heidi Klum
The Project Runway host turned the opening ceremony red carpet into her personal runway with this stunning Elie Saab number.
Jane Fonda
The two-time Oscar winner dazzled in a custom Gucci gown at the premiere of The Electric Kiss.
Elijah Wood & Peter Jackson
One does not simply walk into Cannes. The Lord of the Rings actor presented his director with an honorary Palme d’Or during the fim festival’s opening ceremony.
Maura Higgins
The Traitors alum was faithful to the Cannes Film Festival black-tie dress code in an Andrew Kwon evening gown.
Joan Collins
The Dynasty alum made a rare red carpet appearance.
Demi Moore
Style and substance. The Substance star sparkled in custom Jacquemus and Chopard jewelry at the opening ceremony.
James Franco & Izabel Pakzad
The Disaster Artist star returned to the spotlight with his longtime girlfriend at the premiere of The Electric Kiss.
Claire Holt
The Vampire Diaries alum looked fangtastic in this Chloé gown.
Tyrese Gibson
The Fast & Furious actor was all smiles at the opening ceremony.
Kelly Rutherford
Spotted: the Gossip Girl actress at The Electric Kiss premiere.
Maika Monroe
The Reminders of Him star wore Ashi Studio and Pasquale Bruni jewelry to the opening ceremony.
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