Aubrey Plaza was on hand to promote her latest movie, Megalopolis—the Francis Ford Coppola epic science fiction drama decades in the making—at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
I love Plaza’s often whimsical and quirky red carpet style, but I’m not thrilled with her Loewe Cannes Film Festival premiere ensemble. Fortunately, she quickly redeemed herself at the Megalopolis photocall by wearing a summery Miu Miu outfit.
Aubrey Plaza at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis (Credit: PA Images / IPA / INSTARimages)
Aubrey Plaza’s Failed Old Hollywood Screen Siren Look
The moment she stepped on the red carpet for the Megalopolis Cannes Film Festival premiere, I immediately noticed Plaza— not because I was enamored with her look, but rather because I thought her choice of clothing was… meh.
The White Lotus star opted for a modest duchess gown by Loewe, a Spanish label known for its novel approach to fashion.
Aubrey Plaza fails to wow in her eggshell silk satin duchess gown by Loewe at the Megalopolis world premiere during the 77th Cannes Film Festival (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Her dress exudes Old Hollywood elegance with its modest long-sleeves, square neck, and eggshell silk satin fabric. It has an intriguing touch, albeit an unnecessary one, with a twisted rope-like detail at the waist that resembles a belt before draping down the sides. It appears as though a section of the clothing has been rolled up. I think it’s weird, but not good weird, if you know what I mean.
Nonetheless, I appreciate the dress’s alluring open-back design, which gives the traditionally conservative look a hint of sensuality.
Overall, though, I’m not too fond of the gown. The skirt looks too long for Aubrey’s 5’6” height, and even the darting appears unkempt.
Aubrey Plaza’s white satin Loewe gown features a modest silhouette with a square neck, long sleeves, floor-sweeping hem, and an intriguing twisted rope-like accent at the waist (Credit: Dave Bedrosian / Future Image / Cover Images)
Her emerald and diamond Piaget jewelry added much-needed color to the ensemble, but I don’t think it was enough to save the look.
She layered the Piaget Golden Oasis Luxuriant necklace around her neck, dripping with 177 marquise-cut emeralds and 172 diamonds with a removable 3-carat pear-shaped drop. I like the jewelry, but I don’t think it matches the gown’s neckline.
The Piaget Golden Oasis Luxuriant white gold chandelier earrings set with 12-carat marquise-cut emerald and diamonds were fastened to her ears. A matching emerald and diamond ring rounded out her jewels.
Aubrey Plaza adds color to her white Loewe gown with a Piaget Golden Oasis Luxuriant necklace and earrings dripping with emeralds and diamonds (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Stylist Jessica Paster, who works with Emily Blunt, Quinta Brunson, Abigail Spencer, and Cate Blanchett, finished Plaza’s Cannes outfit with silver Casadei heels.
Though hidden beneath her dress, she was sporting the “Flora Flash” platform sandals, designed to enhance the feminine figure. They have small buckled straps that secure them to her ankles, and they have slits and peep toes made of metallic laminated leather. The 5.5-inch towering stiletto heels and thick platforms finish the look.
Jon Chapman fashioned her brunette hair in a side-parted, wavy style with one side tucked behind her ears in keeping with the Old Hollywood aesthetic of her appearance.
However, Kathy Jeung simply lined her hooded brown eyes and added rosy blush and lipstick. She would have somehow achieved an Old Hollywood screen siren look if she had worn red lipstick.
Aubrey Plaza completes her failed Old Hollywood screen siren look with side-parted retro waves and rosy makeup (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Aubrey Plaza’s Orange Retro Floral Miu Miu Dress
Thankfully, the Parks and Recreation star made up for her lackluster appearance at the Cannes premiere of Megalopolis by showing up at the photocall the next day in an orange Miu Miu retro-style floral dress.
Her $4,200 dress looks casual but perfect for the photocall on the French Riviera. It features a retro white floral line art motif that enhances the summertime look and neat details like a zipper that runs the length of the dress. The crepe de chine fabric’s crisp texture further enhances these elements.
I love the shirt dress‘s fit on Aubrey’s frame. It has a sharp collar, short sleeves, puffed shoulders, and waist ruching that accentuates her contours. The midi length also looks perfect for Plaza’s height.
Aubrey Plaza opts for a retro summertime look in an orange-and-white Miu Miu floral dress for the Megalopolis photocall at Cannes (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
The outfit is equally impeccable in terms of style. Plaza sported a tiny pair of diamond-encrusted gold hoop earrings, rings, and bracelets.
Not to mention those heels! She paired her orange dress with white Miu Miu pumps, enhancing the nostalgic summertime look! Their ultra-feminine satin design is covered with luminous crystals.
Slingback and vamp straps with heat-sealed artificial crystals anchor them to the feet, while the 4-inch varnished martini-shaped heels elevate the look. These Miu Miu satin slingback pumps are available for $1,750 at Farfetch.
Aubrey Plaza pairs her orange floral shirt dress with crystal-encrusted white satin slingback pumps by Miu Miu (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
I know it’s simple, but this look has me completely smitten. I love that it’s easy to recreate!
Plaza didn’t disappoint glam-wise! Her shoulder-length brunette hair was styled in voluminous, messy waves, and her features were highlighted with eyeliner and vibrant red lipstick.
Aubrey Plaza finishes off her retro look with a voluminous, messy-waved hairstyle and bright red lipstick (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
Megalopolis: Francis Coppola’s Self-Financed Decades-in-the-Making Movie
Megalopolis is an epic sci-fi drama that follows Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a futuristic architect with the power to control time, as he tries to rebuild a New York-like metropolis into a utopia following a disaster. However, Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), a corrupt mayor adamant about maintaining the status quo, disagrees with his idea.
Adding romance to the narrative, Franklyn’s daughter Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel) experiences conflict as she develops feelings for Cesar.
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Megalopolis features a stellar cast. Aside from Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, and Nathalie Emmanuel, it also stars Aubrey Plaza as TV presenter Wow Platinum, Shia LaBeouf as Cesar’s cousin Clodio Pulcher, Jon Voight as Hamilton Crassus III, Jason Schwartzman as Cesar’s rich uncle Jason Zanderz, Talia Shire as Constance Crassus Catilina, Grace VanderWaal as Vesta Sweetwater, Laurence Fishburne as Fundi Romaine and the film’s narrator, Kathryn Hunter as Teresa Cicero, and Dustin Hoffman as Nush Berman.
The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a 7-minute standing ovation.
Coppola had been working on the project for a long time, having conceived the idea in 1977. He started developing it in 1983 but had several revisions and production delays. Due to its ambitious premise, distributors and producers were reportedly deterred from collaborating on the film. In addition, Coppola was also working on other projects at the time, including Apocalypse Now, which earned him a Palme d’Or.
Thirty-six years later, he brought the project back to life and began filming in November 2022. He self-funded the movie, forking out $120 million from his own pocket.
Director Francis Ford Coppola and the cast of Megalopolis attend the Cannes Film Festival premiere of their epic sci-fi drama movie (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)