Every red carpet is expected to be a playground for youngsters and the rising stars of showbiz.
But this year at the Cannes Film Festival, the real head-turners were not Gen Z or Millennials
They included a lineup of women in their 80s and 90s who completely owned the red carpet this year.
The Cannes red carpet wasn’t ruled by Gen Z or Millennials, but by women in their 80s and 90s
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Joan Collins, 92, was one of the most talked-about stars this year.
The actress dazzled on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival, which kicked off on May 12 and will conclude on May 23.
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The actress, who shot to fame in 1981 after joining the cast of the prime-time soap opera Dynasty, returned to the annual French film festival after a nearly decade-long hiatus.
Joan was dressed in a long, white, custom-made Stephane Rolland Haute Couture gown.
French actor Laurent Lafitte posed alongside her at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on the town’s seafront.
Joan Collins made a dazzling comeback after nearly a decade away from Cannes
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Her return to the film festival was in honor of her recent movie My Duchess, and she said she was taking dance lessons as part of her preparation for the Cannes red carpet.
“I thought I want to just be able to get on the red carpet and not be a lump,” she told Deadline a few days before the film festival.
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“I’ve never liked walking,” she quipped. “…The only time I want to walk is when I’m walking around Selfridges department store.”
In the same interview, the actress said she takes care of her skin, does exercises, and wears makeup to maintain her appearance and health, even as she approaches her 93rd birthday this month.
“I believe in karma and I think you get the face you deserve. I mean, if you booze and smoke cigarettes and eat the wrong food, you’re not going to look so good when you’re over 60 or whatever I am, haha,” she told the outlet.
Joan asserted that she wasn’t a fan of cosmetic surgery or taking medication to aid weight loss.
“I don’t believe in needles and things. I’ve never had Botox or anything in my face,” she told Hello! in March.
The 92-year-old actress said she has never done Botox or any cosmetic procedure to her face
@hellocanadamag Dame Joan Collins, 92, looked breathtaking at the Cannes Film Festival, leaving fans in awe. The legendary actress dazzled in a sculptural white dress, absolutely stealing the show 🤍✨ 📽️ : Getty #DameJoanCollins #CannesFilmFestival ♬ original sound – HELLO! Canada Magazine
@vogueitalia #JaneFonda sul red carpet della cerimonia d’apertura del Festival di #Cannes2026 con un abito in paillettes firmato #Gucci ♬ оригинальный звук – 𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑦𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑠
When asked about Hollywood’s current blockbuster medication Oz*mpic, she said, “I’d never dream of doing something like that. I have seen too many disastrous faces. I think if you’re going to lose weight, you have to cut down. You want to enjoy your life. You don’t want to live on a celery stick.”
Another star who stole the spotlight on the Cannes red carpet was Jane Fonda, 88.
The actress, with a decades-long career, wore a black Gucci gown to the opening ceremony and to the screening of The Electric Venus this week.
Jane Fonda, 88, stole the spotlight, wearing a black Gucci gown to the opening ceremony
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“Jane Fonda proves beautifully that style has no age limit,” fashion stylist Leanne Jones told Hello! about her look.
“The silhouette of the gown is timelessly elegant, while the all-over sequins add a modern edge and confidence to the look,” she added. “It’s understated yet incredibly impactful – a wonderful reminder that great style is about attitude, not age.”
Joan Collins and Jane Fonda weren’t the only stars, above the age of 50, to turn heads at the festival.
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Demi Moore, 63, returned to Cannes as one of the nine jury members and delivered her own moment of high glamour, wearing a strapless white sequin Jacquemus gown during the opening ceremony.
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On Day 2, she walked the red carpet in a sheer, purple off-the-shoulder Gucci gown inspired by her 2003 red carpet appearance at The Matrix Reloaded premiere, her stylist Brad Goreski said on Instagram.
Several older stars, including Demi Moore, Heidi Klum, and Gillian Anderson also commanded attention
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Heidi Klum, 52, is a regular red carpet stunner, and the 79th Cannes Film Festival was no exception.
She graced the red carpet in a peach-colored Elie Saab gown with a floral detail in the front.
Gillian Anderson, 57, also commanded the red carpet with her signature elegance.
Her film Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma ended with the audience giving a 9-minute long standing ovation this week.
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Some of the younger stars struggled to land an impact at the festival
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While the seasoned stars created some loud buzz on the red carpet, some of the artists from the younger crowd struggled to command attention.
Indian actress Alia Bhatt went viral online after appearing to be “ignored” by photographers at the venue.
so embarrassing man. cannes is a global movie stage & this her 2nd appearance, yet nobody knows her, no pap flashed a single camera at her. who is she waving at? none looks interested. serious aura deficit! 😭 pic.twitter.com/GYuNMrmr6F
— Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) May 13, 2026
The star, who attended as a global brand ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, was seen on Day 2 of the film festival in a coral silk crêpe marocain corseted column dress by designer Tamara Ralph.
“Literally no one is even looking at her,” one said, while another claimed, “she was trying so hard but failed.”
“So embarrassing, man,” said another. “Cannes is a global movie stage, and this is her 2nd appearance, yet nobody knows her; no pap flashed a single camera at her. Who is she waving at? None looks interested. Serious aura deficit!”
Netizens had mixed reactions to the stars on the red carpet
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