Director Peter Jackson and actress Eye Haïdara during the opening ceremony of the 79th Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 2026. GONZALO FUENTES/REUTERS
What was Gustave Kervern doing on the red carpet, all alone? The French actor and director seemed a bit lost, glancing from right to left. But was it really him? On Tuesday, May 12, the opening ceremony of the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival revealed something no one had ever noticed before: Kervern, with his thick beard and tousled hair, bears a striking resemblance to Peter Jackson, creator of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) and The Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014), both adapted from Tolkien's novels. So, it was actually the New Zealand director himself, soaking up the camera flashes on the red carpet! And with good reason: He was about to receive the honorary Palme d'Or for his life's work.
This tale of mistaken identity kept everyone entertained during the half hour on the rather uneventful red carpet. Attention turned to the team behind the opening film, La Vénus Électrique (The Electric Kiss) by Pierre Salvadori: Louis Garrel in all black, Pio Marmaï in a white jacket, Anaïs Demoustier adjusting the strap on her rustic dress, Vimala Pons and the heart-shaped neckline of her midnight blue gown.
