The Jenner invasion
Kendall Jenner, the only certifiable supermodel of arguably the world’s most famous clan, hasn’t shown evidence of aspirations to be an actor - but that didn’t stop the TV reality star from being ubiquitous at Cannes this year. In town as the official mascot for Magnum, the popular ice-cream bar brand, the leggiest of the Jenners swanned into the company’s packed beach party on the first weekend of the festival, wearing a Versace dress with a plunging neckline that would make Jennifer Lopez blush. She was, of course, accompanied by her mother and manager Kris, who looked on like a proud parent as her daughter posed glumly for the swarm of paparazzi. Afterwards, the pair retreated to their respective thrones in the VIP area overlooking the dancefloor, where they proceeded to sit for most of the evening as invitees observed them as if they were animals in a zoo. Jenner is a very coveted attraction: it’s rumoured she bagged $200,000 for her appearance.
Sue’s view on Woody
Early in the festival, Blake Lively made headlines when she leapt to the defence of controversy-plagued Woody Allen, saying that she found him to be “empowering to women” while making Café Society . Susan Sarandon, meanwhile, came out hard against Allen, who she’s never worked with, saying “I think he sexually assaulted a child and I don’t think that’s right.” Strangely, her views didn’t stop her from from attending Café Society’s opening-night gala, where she sent shockwaves down the Croisette by wearing flats.
It’s one for the money…
Since breaking out in The Tree of Life, a Cannes premiere in 2011, Jessica Chastain has shrewdly chosen strong projects that, while not commercial blockbusters, garnered her awards and a bucketload of acclaim. So why then did she recently slum it in the Kristen Stewart-less Snow White sequel no one asked for, The Huntsman: Winter’s War? Turns out, even Oscar-nominees need a fat payday. At the opening night dinner, Chastain was overheard saying that while the film is losing money, it did pay for her new New York apartment. Smart gal.
The whole Corey
What’s Cannes without a little bit of sex talk? House of Cards star Corey Stoll doesn’t strip down in Woody Allen’s festival-opener Café Society, but the actor was happy to talk about his memorable gay sex scene with Andrew Rannells in the latest season of Lena Dunham’s HBO show Girls. Speaking at a lunch, Stoll admitted to having some reservations, mostly concerning showing off his body for the world to see. “I wish I was as comfortable with my body as Lena,” he said, “but I’m not.” His mother however doesn’t mind. “My mother actually finds that easier to watch than watching scenes where I die,” he said, laughing. “Which I think is healthy!”
A bald wit
Actors aren’t especially known for being a self-effacing lot, save for Jennifer Lawrence, who seems to delight in mocking herself during interviews. Joseph Fiennes took a cue from the Oscar-winning starlet while promoting The Last Race, an “unofficial” sequel to Chariots of Fire, in which he plays famed Olympic runner Eric Liddell, aka the Flying Scotsman. Asked if he thinks he resembles the late athlete during a press conference in Cannes, Fiennes simply pointed to his receding hairline. “See how much I look like Eric!” he said, grimacing. “That’s because my hair is falling out.”
