Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Uma Thurman make Cannes a family affair
The Cannes Film Festival has been known to attract royalty, but Hollywood royalty as well.
The festival, held in the south of France, has long been one to which movie stars have brought their children. This year is no different as Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and their 20-year-old daughter, Carys Douglas, stunned as they floated down the carpet for the opening of the festival and screening of Jeanne du Barry.
The women planted a kiss on the Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction star’s cheek on the top of the famous red staircase, setting off camera flashes. It was a big night for Michael, who was the honorary Palme d’or recipient in tribute to his 55-year career.
In his speech, Michael said, “There are many festivals in the world, but only one Cannes.” And the family seemed to make it a fun and fashionable outing. Carys, an aspiring singer and actress, was decked out in a white Elie Saab gown and sported Chopard diamonds — the same designers worn by the Wednesday star, though she rocked red. (Michael and Zeta-Jones, who married in 2000, are also parents to Dylan, 22, and The Kominsky Method star has son Cameron, 44, from his first marriage.)
Carys, who’s studying foreign relations and diplomacy in college, called it “the most wonderful evening” on social media. “It was an honor to celebrate my father.”
Michael was presented with his honorary award by Uma Thurman, who also had a VIP plus-one. The Kill Bill actress brought her 21-year-old son, Levon Thurman-Hawke.
They also made for a stunning pair as Thurman wore a red cape with her Dior gown and Chopard jewelry while her son, whose father is Ethan Hawke, had on a blue suit.
Thurman-Hawke is also getting into the family business. He’s currently shooting the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room, which stars Tom Holland. He also has a role in Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Pussy Island.
Thurman-Hawke has actually been his mother’s date at the film fest previously, back in 2017.
Meanwhile, Maya Hawke, who is the former couple’s other child, is expected to appear at the festival later on for Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. (Thurman is also mom to daughter Luna Thurman-Busson, 10.)
Also making it a family affair this year are Catherine Deneuve and her actress daughter Chiara Mastroianni.
Chiara hosted the opening ceremony — and who made a surprise appearance? Her very famous mom. Chiara, the only child of Deneuve and the late Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, has a long list of credits and has also served on the Cannes jury.
Flashback family moments at Cannes
Historically, this is a film festival that celebrities have deemed family-friendly. Here are some other memorable moments from years past of A-listers and their offspring enjoying “la belle vie” in Cannes.
In 2021, Sean Penn and his children, Hopper and Dylan, were all together at the film fest. That year, Penn directed and starred in Flag Day, and his real-life kids appeared in the film.
That trio was also together there a few years earlier, in 2016, for Penn’s The Last Face in which Hopper also had a part.
A memorable moment for John Travolta was when he and Kelly Preston premiered their mobster biopic Gotti in 2018. While the film may not have been so memorable, the couple had fun bringing along kids Ella and Benjamin, making for some stunning family photos. Sadly, Preston died in 2020, making it their last family red carpet. Ella has since pursued acting and music.
Julia Roberts’s daughter Hazel Moder made her red carpet debut — with dad Danny — at Cannes in 2021.
In 2019, Eva Longoria and her husband, José Bastón, hit the Global Gift Initiative event during the 72nd annual Cannes Film with their baby boy, Santiago Enrique.
Salma Hayek has hit many red carpets with daughter Valentina, but an early one was here, in 2014, to screen her animated drama Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. Hayek, who is married to businessman François-Henri Pinault, voiced a character and produced the film.
In 2019, Patricia Arquette and daughter Harlow Jane attended the film fest together. Harlow, whose dad is actor Thomas Jane, followed her parents footsteps into acting, appearing in a handful of films already, including this year’s She Came to Me.
Andie MacDowell’s daughter Margaret Qualley has long navigated red carpets. The Maid actress attended the festival in 2012 with her mom at age 18.
Milla Jovovich and daughter Dashiel Edan Anderson got glam for the amfAR Cannes Gala in 2022.
Tilda Swinton’s daughter Honor Swinton Byrne, also an actress, made it a joint outing in 2021.
The Stallones are newly minted reality TV stars, but they’ve long loved the limelight and family red carpets. In 2019, Sylvester and wife Jennifer Flavin attended a screening with their daughter Sistine, an actress and model
Spike Lee, who has made many appearances at Cannes, brought his family — wife Tonya Lewis Lee and their kids Satchel Lee and Jackson Lee — to the festival. They attended a screening of the director’s BlacKkKlansman here in 2018.
What’s an event without some Kardashians? Momager Kris Jenner and model Kendall Jenner struck a pose on the amfAR Cannes Gala red carpet in 2019.
The international film festival, now in its 76th year, will run through May 27.
