Halle Berry says Cannes nudity ban is 'a good thing' after swapping dress to meet new red carpet rules
CANNES, FRANCE: Halle Berry made waves at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for her presence on the prestigious jury, and a last-minute fashion pivot prompted by the festival’s newly enforced red carpet guidelines.
At the official press conference, the Oscar winner revealed she had to ditch her showstopping gown due to new restrictions.
Halle Berry reveals she had to ditch her original look because of new Cannes rules
At Cannes 2025, Halle Berry faced a last-minute wardrobe mishap that led to her being pulled from wearing the Gaurav Gupta dress just as the red carpet festivities began in France.
“I had an amazing dress by Gaurav Gupta that I cannot wear tonight because it’s too big of a train,” Berry shared. “I’m not going to break the rules.”
As reported by Variety, Berry shared that she wasn’t too bothered by the last-minute change and chose to respect the new guidelines. “I had to make a pivot,” she said, adding, “But the nudity part, I do think, is probably also a good rule.”
Berry, who won an Academy Award for her role in 'Monster’s Ball' (2001), shared that she found out about the new dress code at the very last minute, forcing her to swap her Gaurav Gupta couture piece for a Jacquemus gown, and the last-minute change was anything but smooth.
Cannes officially unveiled the stricter rules on Monday, May 12, blindsiding many A-listers after months of outfit planning — Berry included.
She arrived in a black-and-white striped Jacquemus gown that struck the perfect balance — its halter neckline, structured silhouette, and dramatic open back stayed well within the new rules while still serving effortless chic.
Berry joins this year’s esteemed competition jury, which includes 'Succession' star Jeremy Strong, filmmaker Payal Kapadia, and actor Alba Rohrwacher among others. The jury is presided over by acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche.
Cannes Film Festival enforces new red carpet guidelines
In a formal move to preserve decorum on its iconic red carpet, the Cannes Film Festival has announced a clear ban on full nudity and overly voluminous outfits for this year’s event.
The updated guidelines follow a string of attention-grabbing appearances in recent years, including a topless protestor in 2022 and Bianca Censori’s near-nude fashion statement at the Grammys.
However, that didn’t stop Heidi Klum from making a statement in her pink dress with a long train this year. The model proved that old habits die hard, dazzling at the screening of 'Partir Un Jour' in a ruffled gown that mimicked flowers, complete with a dramatic train.
Ahead of its opening on Wednesday, May 14, the Cannes Film Festival introduced updated red carpet policies, highlighting a ban on full nudity and overly voluminous outfits like long trains or garments that hinder crowd movement.
In a formal statement, the festival clarified, “This year, the Cannes Film Festival has made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect. The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law.”
It also noted it could deny entry to anyone whose outfit might impede guest flow or interfere with seating in screening venues.
