EXCLUSIVE: The Venice Film Festival has been shrouded in mystery for weeks, with speculation about which Hollywood stars will attend amid the ongoing strikes. But now, the fog is starting to clear. We can confirm that the talented Adam Driver, known for his role in “Ferrari,” will be gracing the Lido next week to promote Michael Mann’s highly anticipated new movie. This makes him the biggest U.S. actor to commit to the festival so far. The news was first reported by the Daily Mail. It’s not surprising considering that “Ferrari” already secured an interim agreement from SAG. However, there were still doubts about whether SAG actors would feel uncomfortable attending. SAG-AFTRA leadership made it clear yesterday that actors with interim agreements should be present at festivals to promote their films. Their message is that this is beneficial for independent cinema and the industry as a whole. This affirmation from SAG helped many actors make up their minds.
Press and industry insiders have been eagerly trying to uncover which talent will be present at Venice, TIFF, and Telluride. Producers, distributors, publicists, and the festival organizers themselves have all been in a state of anticipation. The answer has mostly been “TBD” as the complex negotiations continue behind the scenes.
It’s still uncertain whether Driver’s “Ferrari” co-stars Penélope Cruz and Shailene Woodley will also be attending the festival. The Daily Mail hinted today that Cruz might be there, and we haven’t received any denials. We’ve heard that Patrick Dempsey and Jack O’Connell will also be part of the festivities.
Among the confirmed stars attending Venice this year are Mad Mikkelsen for the Danish film “The Promised Land,” Caleb Landry Jones and JoJo T. Gibbs for the highly buzzed-about “DogMan,” Peter Sarsgaard and Billy Magnussen as executive producers for the Venice Days movie “Coup!,” and Olga Kurylenko for the premiere of Xavier Giannoli’s TV series “Of Blood and Money.” We’ve also received information that Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, who play Priscilla and Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” will be in attendance. Priscilla Presley herself will also be part of the group.
However, it’s unlikely that the casts of studio movies such as “The Killer,” “Maestro,” and “Poor Things” will be present at the festival.
On the other hand, some actors from non-studio movies have chosen not to attend. Among those we’ve heard won’t be on the Lido are Lily James, Willem Dafoe, Joe Keery, and Rachel Sennott from “Finally Dawn,” as well as Liam Neeson from “In The Land Of Saints And Sinners.” The cast of Luca Barbareschi’s “Penitent,” including Catherine McCormack, Adam Jones, and Adrian Lester, won’t be attending either.
The status of Glen Powell for “Hit Man,” Mickey Rourke for “The Palace,” and Léa Seydoux and George MacKay for “The Beast” is still uncertain. However, we’ve heard from multiple sources that Jessica Chastain will be present at the festival for Michel Franco’s “Memory.”
Filmmakers such as David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Richard Linklater, Woody Allen, Yorgos Lanthimos, and actor-turned-director Jack Huston are expected to attend. Some directors are members of the WGA but will be present “as directors,” according to our sources. It’s still unclear whether producers Spielberg and Scorsese will be there for “Maestro.” As previously reported, director Bradley Cooper won’t be attending because he also stars in the movie.
The festival will also feature a diverse range of international talent, including Hong Kong icon Tony Leung, who will receive a lifetime achievement award. French actress Valerie Lemercier will be attending for Woody Allen’s “Coup De Chance,” and Fanny Ardant, Joaquin De Almeida, Luca Barbareschi, and Fortunato Cerlino will represent Roman Polanski’s film “The Palace.”
The highly anticipated 80th Venice Film Festival will kick off next Wednesday and run until September 9th. It will open with the Italian WWII action film “Comandante.” Originally, the festival was set to open with the Zendaya-starring film “Challengers,” but it withdrew from the slot due to the ongoing strike.
Melanie Goodfellow and Matt Grobar contributed to this report.
