Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Adam Driver Skips Watching Himself at Cannes Premiere

5/20/2026

24 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Adam Driver Avoids

Actor Adam Driver avoids watching himself on screen while promoting his Cannes film Paper Tiger.
Driver has appeared in seven Cannes films since 2016, spending more years at the festival than away.
Driver watched himself only once at the Megalopolis premiere because Eleanor Coppola had just died.
He follows a routine of entering a maze-like room overlooking the harbor and sneaking back in quietly as the lights rise.

Summary

Driver Stuns Cannes

Paper Tiger earned an 83% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes after its Cannes debut.
The film opened on May 16, 2026, receiving a ten-minute standing ovation at Cannes.
Critics are split, with David Ehrlich calling Driver’s performance career-best while others fault the plot for clichés.
James Gray says the story mirrors his family’s hardships, with rehearsals held at Driver’s New York home.

History

Historical Context

In 1973, Brando, who had won two Academy Awards, sent Sacheen Littlefeather to decline his Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather, protesting Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans. His rebuff set a precedent for actors resisting awards exposure, a pattern echoed when Adam Driver slipped out of Cannes’s cramped screening room for Paper Tiger. The episode highlights a lasting tension between stars and institutions.

1 of 3

Adam Driver Avoids

Actor Adam Driver avoids watching himself on screen while promoting his Cannes film Paper Tiger.
Driver has appeared in seven Cannes films since 2016, spending more years at the festival than away.
Driver watched himself only once at the Megalopolis premiere because Eleanor Coppola had just died.
He follows a routine of entering a maze-like room overlooking the harbor and sneaking back in quietly as the lights rise.

1 / 3