Halle Berry Was Forced to Change at Cannes Last-Minute: ‘Not Going to Break the Rules’
Halle Berry found herself in a bit of a fashion crisis ahead of the Cannes Film Festival opening night gala when she had to change her outfit at the very last minute. Before the 78th annual event, the official Cannes website revealed updated dress code rules—sending shockwaves through Hollywood. After all, Cannes, which celebrates the year’s buzziest new films, has long doubled as a red carpet runway for stars to serve drama, glamour, and plenty of skin.
“For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival,” read a memo posted to the site. The dress code also bans “voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests.”
So, Berry found herself in a bit of a pickle. She opened up about the last-minute switch to Variety: “I had an amazing dress by [Gaurav] Gupta that I cannot wear tonight because it’s too big of a train.” She added, “I’m not going to break the rules. The nudity part is also probably a good rule.”
Cannes organizers clarified that the goal wasn’t to “regulate,” but to “prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law.”
Over the years, the Cannes red carpet has become a haven for daring fashion. Stars have walked the iconic steps in shockingly sheer pieces and jaw-dropping silhouettes. In 2021, Bella Hadid made headlines in a Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown with a completely open bodice, her chest covered only by a lung-shaped necklace. In 2023, Heidi Klum arrived in a boob-baring Zuhair Murad look featuring thigh-high slits and dramatic wings, while Irina Shayk wore Gucci lingerie.
While Berry’s Cannes fashion has historically been more demure, the new guidelines come just one week after she nearly bared all at the Met Gala. For that appearance, she wore a striped sequin LaQuan Smith gown made of transparent fabric that revealed her bikini line—and then some.
