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The weird and wonderful Cannes Film Festival moments that have everyone talking

Kahla Preston
Kahla Preston

When some of the world's biggest names gather en masse in one location, things are bound to get weird and wonderful.

Case in point: The Cannes Film Festival.

The French Riviera event never fails to deliver memorable red carpet moments, from jaw-dropping outfits to kooky celebrity encounters.

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Emma Stone tries to avoid a bee next to Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal and director Ari Aster at the premiere of Eddington during the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, 16 May 2025

It's not often Hollywood's A-listers are upstaged by a bee, but anything's possible! Getty

This year's festival well and truly fed us on that front, with everything from rule-breaking stars to a bee that insisted on being the main character.

Read on to see the Cannes 2025 moments that had the world talking.

Watch the video at the top of the page.

Denzel Washington vs photographer

Denzel Washington

A photographer faced the wrath of Denzel Washington on the red carpet. Getty

Things got a little heated between Denzel Washington and a photographer during the Highest 2 Lowest premiere on May 19.

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The Oscar winner was chatting to director Spike Lee on the red carpet when a snapper grabbed his suit jacket sleeve, seemingly to try get the actor's attention.

Video shows Washington turned away to directly confront the photographer, pointing in his face repeatedly while the man laughed and once again grabbed his arm.

READ MORE: 'Expiration date': Megan Fox's powerful comments after pregnancy

Cannes red carpet denzel washington looper photographer

Getty

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The Twilight x Hunger Games collab nobody saw coming

Cannes has delivered a huge moment for lovers of 2000s young adult novels and their big-screen adaptations.

Die, My Love, one of the movies selected for the festival, unites the leads of two of the most beloved movie franchises of the era: The Hunger Games' Jennifer Lawrence and Twilight's Robert Pattinson.

The duo have delighted fans with plenty of appearances throughout the festival, starting with a glamorous red carped outing on May 17.

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Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson attend the Die My Love red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2025 in Cannes, France.

A huge moment for fans of The Hunger Games and Twilight. WireImage

Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson during the Die My Love photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France.

Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson have been doing the rounds at Cannes - the duo we never expected! FilmMagic

Pattinson even helped his co-star when a minor wardrobe malfunction struck, fixing Lawrence's gown after realising he was standing on the fabric.

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May the odds be ever in their favour.

A whiplash-inducing double transformation

She's one of the world's most famous women, but even her most diehard fans would have struggled to recognise her from behind when she first emerged.

Cara Delevingne

From behind, you'd have a hard time guessing the identity of this woman. Getty

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Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne had us convinced she'd gone dark. Getty

Cara Delevingne had onlookers doing a double take as she unveiled two dramatically different hairstyles within a 24-hour period.

At the premiere of The History Of Sound, she went practically undercover in a jet-black 'do featuring a short blunt fringe.

It was a far cry from the golden hue we're used to seeing from the actress and model, and led us to believe she'd hit up the dye bottle to embrace a new look.

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Cara Delevingne

One day later? Back to blonde. Getty

One day later, the truth emerged: it was (most likely) a wig.

At the La Venue De L'avenir premiere on May 22, she was back to blonde, and looking completely unfazed after pulling a swifty on us.

And here we were thinking Nicole Kidman was the queen of the whiplash-inducing hair transformation!

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Rihanna's glorious return

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky

All eyes were on Rihanna and A$AP Rocky as they hit the red carpet. Getty

After an eight-year absence, Rihanna sashayed back onto the Cannes red carpet in serious style.

The singer, who is pregnant with her third child, attended the Highest 2 Lowest premiere with boyfriend A$AP Rocky, who stars in the movie.

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The pair made their arrival under an umbrella – a fun nod to Rihanna's hit of the same name – with the music icon wrapped in a gorgeous shade of blue.

A$AP Rocky and Rihanna

Just gorgeous. Getty

The Cannes appearance comes days after the couple confirmed their baby news at the Met Gala, as you do.

Meanwhile, the wait for a new album continues...

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The bird...

Wanna know the easiest way to cut down on one's Cannes hair and makeup routine? Cover your entire head in a terrifyingly realistic bird mask, that's how.

Ahead of the the premiere of Die, My Love, a man hit the red carpet dressed as bird – a condor, specifically – complete with a beak and feathers.

Raphael Quenard and Hugo David pose with a person dressed in bird costume at a photocall for the film Die, My Love at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, May 18, 2025.

Yes, this happened. Natacha Pisarenko/Invision/AP

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The wild look was a tie-in with the documentary I Love Peru.

...and the bee

As a two-time Oscar winner, you'd think Emma Stone would be immune from having her red carpet spotlight stolen.

Enter: a bee determined to have its moment.

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Emma Stone tries to avoid a bee next to Austin Butler and Pedro Pascal at the premiere of Eddington during the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, 16 May 2025

Emma Stone vs bee. Getty

During the Eddington premiere on May 16, Stone was standing between Austin Butler and Pedro Pascal when the insect made a beeline for her.

Emma Stone tries to avoid a bee next to Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal and director Ari Aster, Joaquin Phoenix, Clifton Collins Jr., Luke Grimes and Micheal Ward at the premiere of Eddington during the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, 16 May 2025

Austin Butler and Pedro Pascal nobly tried to move the insect along. Getty

Chaos ensued, as the La La Land actress attempted to dodge the bee while her co-stars nobly tried to redirect it.

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Butler attempted to blow it away, before Pascal used his hand to move it out of Stone's vicinity and restored calm.

The red carpet rebels

Heidi Klum attends the red carpet for the opening ceremony and "Partir Un Jour" (Leave One Day) screening at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, 2025

Heidi Klum disregarded the 'no large trains' rule on the very first day of the festival, and she wasn't alone. Getty

Cannes tried its darndest to rid the event of 'naked' dresses and crazy-long trains this year, but they've still slipped through the cracks.

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Before the festival kicked off, the Cannes website was updated to reflect its new dress code, which included a "no nudity" stipulation for "decency reasons".

"Voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater," the rules also state.

Alas, these rules have been broken, or at least stretched, left right and centre.

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Among the rebels so far are Heidi Klum – that train! – Bella Hadid, Married at First Sight icon Evelyn Ellis and Dakota Johnson.

Speaking to 9honey from Cannes, Ellis revealed she was almost forced to chop the long train off her dress moments before stepping onto the red carpet.

Bella Hadid attends the red carpet for the opening ceremony and Partir Un Jour (Leave One Day) screening at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 13, 2025 in Cannes, France

Bella Hadid played with fire in this slinky dress, with cutouts that certainly test the 'no nudity' rule. Getty

Evelyn Ellis at Hotel Martinez on day one of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2025 in Cannes, France.

Australia's own Evelyn Ellis also got caught out with the new dress code. GC Images

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"I had this massive train on my gown. Then, the organisers of the event come to me and tell me that 'no trains are allowed' this year," she said.

"They're like, 'Didn't you get in your email?' and I'm like, 'This dress was made a month ago, what e-mail?'"

To prevent disaster, Ellis' stylist whipped out a pair of scissors – but they were saved at the last minute by Heidi Klum and her huge dress..

Evelyn Ellis in her Cappellazzo Couture gown at Cannes Film Festival

The former Married at First Sight contestant was almost forced to chop off this incredible train. Instagram/@CappellazzoCouture

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"The stylist was just about to snip the dress. I was hyperventilating, I was freaking out," she continued.

"Right at the last minute, [one of the organisers] goes, 'They're gonna let you have the train'. I realised it's probably because Heidi Klum had just arrived with a massive train.

"I think they thought... 'We can't just tell one person to cut the train and let Heidi have it'. So in I went."

The dog that upstaged everyone

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Felicity the dog attends the Highest 2 Lowest red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.

Queen of the red carpet... Felicity the Samoyed. Getty

In a royal blue gown, with ruffles cascading down her body, one star had all eyes on her as she stepped out onto the red carpet.

Unlike the rest of the guests, this one had four legs and a fur coat that wouldn't attract protest from PETA.

Felicity the Samoyed is a Cannes Film Festival regular and never fails to shine in the spotlight.

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She belongs to French animal activist Julia De Cadenet and has attended some of the festival's most big-name premieres.

As they say... it's a dog's life.

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