Michelle Williams Paid $900k to Appear at Saudi Film Festival With Will Smith: Report
Michelle Williams got paid a pretty penny for her appearance at the Red Sea Film Festival, according to a report.
Dec. 1 2023, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
A slew of A-listers traveled to Saudi Arabia for the star-studded Red Sea Film Festival, including actress Michelle Williams, who was allegedly paid $900k to attend, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The Fabelmans starlet dazzled in Giambattista Valli while hitting the red carpet for the 10-day event, which started on November 30 for its third annual celebration.
The 'Fabelmans' starlet dazzled in Giambattista Valli while hitting the red carpet for the 10-day event which started on November 30 for its third annual celebration.
"$1 million was the standing offer that went around the talent agencies for major stars to walk the carpet at the Red Sea Film Festival," a newsletter from Puck alleged.
The newsletter claimed that Will Smith may have been offered even more, and CAA allegedly negotiated a little under $1 million for Williams to appear. The agency declined to comment on the claims.
"I was moved when I read about how quickly change has come to the region," Williams said about the festival per Deadline. "I was curious to see what the energy was like here and the people behind that change … A festival that is featuring 38 filmmakers, that's not a token, that's a movement. I want to come here and listen. That was my agenda. To listen to the women and men who are working here and making cinema."
Will Smith was seen leaving Miami's Art Basel
Other Hollywood elite at the event were Sofía Vergara, Sharon Stone, and Joel Kinnaman. It was claimed the festival's "foundation" not only backed Johnny Depp's Jeanne du Barry film but also sent a plane so he could attend the event.
"Full credit to Mohammed bin Salman, the journalist-dismembering crown prince, who knows the only thing celebs love more than red carpets is money and red carpets," the newsletter read in criticism of the event.
"$1 million was the standing offer that went around the talent agencies for major stars to walk the carpet at the Red Sea Film Festival," a newsletter from Puck alleged.
The event comes years after the Biden administration released a report on the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which determined bin Salman had an elite team of operatives finish the job.
It sparked controversy after there was no direct action taken against Prince Mohammed, instead announcing travel and financial sanctions on other Saudis involved and on members of the elite unit of the Royal Guard.
Among the Hollywood elite who showed up were Sofía Vergara, Sharon Stone, and Joel Kinnaman.
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"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," an executive summary read.
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The determination was based on the Crown Prince's control of decision-making in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key advises and members of his protective detail in the operation, and his support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad.
While some lawmakers were pleased with the transparency, others felt the punishment was not severe enough.
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