In recent years, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has tried to diversify their business portfolio beyond “oil.” The United Arab Emirates figured that out long ago as well, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar successfully sportswashing their oil-rich portfolios and creating a huge Middle East tourism boom out of nowhere. So Saudi Arabia is trying to follow that path, attempting to invest in the PGA tour and the international tennis tours, and trying like hell to sign Leo Messi. But it’s not all sportswashing – the Saudis now host the Red Sea Film Festival, where American and international celebrities are invited to travel to Jeddah to promote their films, participate in Q&A sessions about their careers and more. I would imagine a nice appearance fee comes with the invitation.
All of which to say, I’ve been surprised to see just how many celebrities went to Jeddah this year for the film festival. Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Henry Golding, Andrew Garfield, Sharon Stone and many more came out this year. The photos in this post are from the closing ceremony. How much did these people get paid? I wouldn’t imagine that Gwyneth would fly to Saudi Arabia for anything less than seven figures. Fashion notes: Gwyneth’s gown is Carolina Herrera’s Resort 2024; Halle wore Elie Saab; I assume Georgina Chapman is wearing Marchesa; Freida Pinto’s red gown is so unflattering!
During her Q&A session, Gwyneth confessed: “I’ve never seen Endgame. I’ve never seen any of these. I can’t keep track. I probably should at some point.” It’s rude but it’s also really funny how little she gives a sh-t about the massive franchise she was part of.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Celebrities attend the Red Sea International Film Festival – Closing Ceremony Featuring: Gwyneth Paltrow Where: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia When: 07 Dec 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the Red Sea International Film Festival – Closing Ceremony Featuring: Gwyneth Paltrow Where: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia When: 07 Dec 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the Red Sea International Film Festival – Closing Ceremony Featuring: Freida Pinto Where: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia When: 07 Dec 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the Red Sea International Film Festival – Closing Ceremony Featuring: Adrian Brody and Georgina Chapman Where: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia When: 07 Dec 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the Red Sea International Film Festival – Closing Ceremony Featuring: Halle Berry Where: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia When: 07 Dec 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Is that you, Gwyneth? Looks like an entirely different person
+1000 Is she using LeAnn Rimes’ plastic surgeon?
I don’t know if gwyneth used Leann Rime’s surgeon or the one the Grinch used, but she probably got a facelift. That nose got pulled alright. What’s on it on the pic?
That’s exactly what I thought. LeAnn Rimes. I have no problem with women doing plastic surgery; I would too if I could afford it. But, seriously, you just have to know when to hold’em and when to fold’em.
I dunno. I get the feeling she’s trying – or been advised – that a more “finished” look would be suitable to a Saudi Arabian audience. Doesn’t she typically go for the more relaxed, California Girl Look?
Lol @StillDouchesOfCambridge. Nailed it with the Grinch.
Oh yeah, this is legitimately the first time I can say that I can tell she’s gotten work done and it’s not good. While I’m surprised that it took her this long to actually get these kinds of fillers I thought she was trying to go the route of “ aging gracefully”, not going to mess with my face unless it’s some wacky obscure alternative “natural” facelift.
Oh you’re mistaken. She’s had some work done before. Even she’s talked about having botox removed from her face. I think she just over did this time. It’s the sign of not only aging, but also of a woman having way more means, and way more options. She’s selling her own potions these days too. So she has to show proof that it works– even though her “proof” is outside the price range of most women she’s selling her lies to.
You can’t remove Botox. I believe you mean fillers. Unless you get eye droop or overdo Botox it looks fine. Its the fillers that make so many women’s faces puffy/unrecognizable.
Perhaps I got the terminology wrong, but the salient point I was trying to make remains true: she has done some tweakments before; and she herself had discussed some negative experiences with botox. I do recall her saying something to the effect that she wouldn’t do it again. That was several years ago. I guess things have changed.
I thought it was Leann Rhymes
Tweeeeeeaked!
I miss the good old days when her face was young and super cute. Sigh.
I actually enjoyed her older face. I liked what she looked like before she got these fillers because she looked like herself. I don’t need people to look perpetually 25. I have never once snarked on someone for looking “old” although a lot of the time fillers can make you look older than you are especially if you get them when you are younger.
No one stays young and super cute forever.
What is with her eyes?
The bust of Halle’s gown is a but much IMO but otherwise it’s pretty. I like yellow but I think the fabric of Gwyneth’s gown is the issue. Frieda’s dress looks ill-fitting and cheap. Also – a lot of actors don’t actually watch the films they’re in. At least she’s being honest about it.
Goop’s face looks odd. Or maybe she always looked that way.
She’s probably gone to “earn” the money for all that surgery she’s had.
Her face looks really different than what I remember.
Also, I would never visit a kingdom with an absolute monarchy like they have there. I knew a guy who moved his family of four kids to Abu Dhabi to manage construction (which I side eyed him for because it’s basically slave labor with no safety precautions). He lost his job in the ‘08 bust, and his bank accounts were instantly frozen. He got another job in an adjacent kingdom several months later and got access to his money again, but what the hell. To go somewhere they can imprison you or your family based on a whim, and strip the money you’re there for away. I could never, but I’m not a white guy who assumes God will stop anything bad from happening.
I don’t understand why ppl are participating in the culture washing.
And the women who go there?! Just saying something slightly ‘disrespectful’ to any man can get you into months of legal trouble and not able to leave the country.
Plus there must have been some kind of dress code exceptions made for these actresses that the average woman in Saudi wouldn’t get away with. Sorry, no, but this is one country I just wouldn’t visit for any reason.
Three letters: MBS. Reason enough to stay away from any event in Saudi Arabia. IMO, everyone pictured in this post is thirsty as hell and on the downward slide into irrelevance. SMH
Very much yes to all of this. My friend moved there as her husband works in the country and I can’t get my head around it. They live in a gated/secure ‘camp’ full of foreigners but won’t let their daughter visit her Saudi friends in their homes because the father/head man of the family (not sure the right term) would have some decision making rights over her while she’s there.
I’m assuming no LGBTQ+ celebs went?
I actually like the style of Gwen’s dress but not the color, though I think the color is a really dope yellow.
Adrian and Halle are at the same event, hopefully he didn’t force a kiss on her again.
It’s a great coIor, but not for her. Or me for that matter. Pale lemon is as yellow as I can go.
This is great! It’s the perfect reminder that these people have absolutely no ethics, the bar for their morality is so low it’s in hell. It’s especially egregious for those who still pretend to give a sh*t about things like LGTQIA rights or freedom of the press and then turn around and accept money (or WORSE, turn up for free!) from Jamal Khashoggi’s murders for some dumb film festival. Just gross.
She looks facelifty but i love her in that dress!
The Red Sea Film Festival — an appropriate name for a country run by a blood-thirsty dynasty that routinely denies women even the most basic of rights and murders journalists.
This. Apparently they’re now hosting awards for the men of the country. Way to support women ladies.
Wow Georgina Chapman truly switched lanes seamlessly with little fall out.
I think she is big bird in disguise.
I think her skin is starting to look like her mom’s. It’s probably all the tanning she does. It see forehead wrinkles, crows feet and heavy cheeks at the lips. I don’t think there is a facelift. I think she looks more aged if anything
I would not have recognized Gwyneth.
All she needs is some eyelashes and she would fit right into whoville.
I’m getting French’s mustard vibes from that dress. Also, her facework is really obvious.
I went to Jeddah in 2008 on a work trip with my boss – very high level Investment Banking stuff. And we were being hosted/staying with a VERY politically connected super rich Saudi businessman. I wore an abaya (not the whole enchilada, but a black robe over my clothes and totally covered my hair with a scarf) the entire time, unless I was in our host’s home. I had my passport ‘held’ by my host the whole time and I wasn’t allowed to exchange or spend any of my own money. And my suitcases were gone over several times. And I was with the ELITE and this happened in Jeddah, the considerably more liberal city. These pictures frankly shock me because CLEARLY many exceptions were made for publicity’s sake. I am glad I got to see the kingdom, but would never ever return. As kindly as I was treated, it scared the hair off of me.
What the hell happened to her face? And this is recent, like within the last few months. And is she tanning so much to try and hide how weird her face looks?
I always roll my eyes at Gwyneth selling a skincare line when, IMO, she does not have very good skin because she clearly does not wear sunscreen or at least not all the time. Her skin has a lot of photodamage. I’m 51 now and agree with the adage that the best skincare product in existence is sunscreen. People that I knew when I was younger that tanned a lot or just did not wear sunscreen on the regular have aged in an entirely different way than people I know who stayed out of the sun and/or wore sunscreen religiously.
And vanity aside, wearing sunscreen is important health-wise. My father is currently fighting melanoma because he’s has been out in the sun for years and never worn sunscreen.
Anyway, I agree that Gwyneth looks like a different person here. Her face looks swollen from some kind of procedure(s). And she looks shockingly like Leann Rimes!
Halle looks amazing
I love Meghan Markel dearly, but because of her gorgeous olive tones, I which she would include more colors like this in her wardrobe. However, this bright yellow is just not for Gwen; she is by far my favorite hollywood style icon. But lately she’s been trying way too hard. Stay away from orange and yellow Gwen. Go for darker tones.
Gwyneth’s dress doesn’t look good on her.
Her nose looks different. Again.
Halle Berry is absolutely stunning.
I must say this disgusts me. Like Neymar and all the others signing for Qatar league disgust me, like Beckham being ambassador for Qatar World Cup disgusted me. In these countries, film events, football leagues, big hotels are not just owned by anyone. They are owned by the families in power and used by them to whitewash their reputation. These are States where women suffer horrible discrimination and have no equal rights, where critics and journalists can be imprisoned easily, are tortured and sometimes are killed. Those celebs, football stars etc, they are selling their souls, basically doing paid a PR gigs for horrible regimes. I don’t get it. Gwyneth does not need that money at all. Neither Halle Berry. Neither Neymar
This is what a 👽 would look like, if it would do eye surgery, to have ‘smaller’ eyes
Neon yellow is too bright for Gwyn. Halle’s boob-show is tacky.
Going to Saudi Arabia for any reason except a top-level federal government meeting is incomprehensible to me. MBS is so evil & the oppression of females there is heinous. Fie on the PGA, & fie on these women going for a film festival!
Long time lurker! Anyway, had to jump in because my first thought was whoa, she looks like the freaking grinch, wtf? Glad to see I wasn’t the only one. I’m gonna blame injections to hide smoker’s lines above her upper lip, makes her look like a Simpsons character. I appreciate some of you sharing your stories about being in countries with horrible human rights records, I think it’s important for regular people to hear these