Lea Seydoux, one of France’s biggest stars who was expected to be the toast of Cannes with three films in competition, issued a statement on July 14 saying that she won’t be able to attend the festival as she is currently self-isolating after testing positive to Covid-19.
“Sadly, I have to self-quarantine in Paris and won’t be able to attend the Cannes Film Festival this year. I wish I could celebrate the return of cinema to my favorite festival, but it is in everyone’s best interest to err on the side of caution and do my part to keep everyone safe and healthy,” said Seydoux, who had to skip the world premiere of Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” on Monday.
“I applaud all four of my directors and the cast ensembles for their remarkable achievements. From a distance and in thoughts, I am with you with all my heart.”
A spokesperson for Seydoux told Variety over the weekend that the star tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.
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Besides “The French Dispatch,” Seydoux’s other films in competition are Ildiko Enyedi’s “The Story of My Wife,” and Bruno Dumont’s “France.” She also stars in Arnaud Desplechin’s Cannes Premiere film “Deception.”
The critically acclaimed actor has been talked about as a strong contender for a best actress award at Cannes due to the number of films she has at the festival. She won the Palme d’Or for her performance in Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 film “Blue is the Warmest Color,” which she shared with Kechiche and her co-star Adèle Exarchopoulos.