Emma Thynn commanded attention on Tuesday morning as Vanity Fair hosted a star-studded lunch on the opening day of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The Marchioness of Bath chose a daring canary yellow gown with a thigh-high split, showcasing her toned legs shortly after arriving at the Carlton Beach Club in the French resort town.
Daring Fashion Choice
With a strappy, plunging neckline, the elegant dress ensured she captured the spotlight while posing for photographs during her first public appearance since arriving in the south of France. Emma, 40, appeared without her husband, British peer Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath, as she mingled with guests ahead of the annual film celebration.
Comparisons to Meghan Markle
Onlookers have long accused Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, of copying the Marchioness, who also hosts a lifestyle programme and produces homemade jam from her Longleat estate. Comparisons between Emma and Meghan were further highlighted in the latest season of the reality TV show Ladies of London: The New Reign. In the opening scenes, designer Lottie Kane introduced the Marchioness to viewers, stating, 'She is the first black woman to be married into an aristocratic family, and I think Meghan Markle tries to claim that, but it was actually Emma.'
Emma, who is of mixed heritage—half-Nigerian and half-English—added, 'The press commented heavily on the fact that I was going to become the first woman of colour to hold this title, and I acknowledge the fact that the only woman of colour in this position is me, still to this day.' She became the Marchioness of Bath after her husband's father, Alexander Thynn, died in 2020.
Star-Studded Guest List
Greeting onlookers with a broad smile, the socialite stood out while lunching with an assortment of established Hollywood stars, including former X-Files star Gillian Anderson. Emmett J. Scanlan, whose acting career began on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, was also in attendance after arriving in Cannes for the festival. On a busy day in the French town, stars such as Robert Rodriguez, Riley Keough, and Halsey were among the first to arrive in anticipation of the festival's launch on Tuesday evening.
Honorary Palme d'Or for Peter Jackson
This year, the Cannes Film Festival will honour filmmaker Peter Jackson with an honorary Palme d'Or. Festival organisers announced Jackson as a recipient in March, praising his 'body of work that blends Hollywood blockbusters and films d'auteur with extraordinary artistic vision and technological audacity.' The Lord of the Rings director called the honour 'one of the greatest privileges of my career.' Jackson recalled first coming to Cannes in 1988 to sell his first movie, Bad Taste, and returning in 2002 to preview The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, and Stellan Skarsgård are among the jurors who will decide the Palme d'Or at this year's festival. Organisers unveiled the nine-member jury, with South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook as president. Other jurors include Irish-Ethiopian actor Ruth Negga, Belgian director Laura Wandel, Chilean director Diego Céspedes, Ivorian American actor Isaach De Bankolé, and Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty. Last year, Cannes awarded honorary Palme d'Or prizes to Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington. The 79th edition runs for eleven days from May 12 to 23.
