The Crown’s Clare Foy was a world away from the Queen’s tweeds and headscarves tonight – star of the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival in a striking red dress, complete with old-fashioned movie star diamonds.
Foy, 42, plays a fictional newspaper director at The Sun, Jules Davies, in Danny Boyle’s Ink, which is about the mogul’s takeover of the paper in 1969.
She was joined at the premiere by leads Guy Pearce, 58, who plays Rupert Murdock, and Jack O’Connell, 36, who stars as Larry Lamb.
Meanwhile, George Clooney, 65, was dressed to the nines in a tuxedo, while his stunning wife Amal, 48, looked the picture of elegance in a Tom Ford dress.
Foy said today that she found her venture into the world of 1960s tabloid journalism “very intoxicating” and was the envy of reporters.
“They had power at their fingertips,” she said. “They knew what they wrote would be what people read and what people believed.”
Pearce revealed that he contacted Murdoch through his daughter Elisabeth, and that Murdoch was quite pleased with the casting. The film is based on a play that Murdoch himself came to see twice.
Pearce said: “I had some messages with Elisabeth [Murdoch]his daughter, and she said, “Daddy is very happy that you are playing him.” But at that point he hadn’t seen the film yet.’
The Crown’s Clare Foy, 42, was a world away from the Queen’s tweeds as she led the stars down the red carpet at the opening night of the Venice Film Festival tonight
George Clooney, 65, and his stunning wife Amal, 48, looked picture-perfect in matching black tie outfits as they hit the red carpet for opening night
She was joined at the premiere by leads Guy Pearce (L), 58, who plays Rupert Murdock, and Jack O’Connell (R), 36, who stars as Larry Lamb.
Director Danny Boyle said Murdoch, now 93, represented at the time “a breath of fresh air in a very rigid British society. It starts with something that is fun and different and challenges a rigid order.’
The media was also on the minds of actor Clooney – whose father Nick is a retired newsreader and journalist.
Clooney is in Venice to accept a Lifetime Achievement award, which will be presented before the premiere.
After posing for a photo with his wife Amal, he jokingly took a place among the bank of press photographers and pretended to be taking photos himself.
Clooney joked that he was feeling nostalgic in the run-up to the festival.
He said: ‘I am 65 years old – everything is melancholy. You brush your teeth and you say, “My teeth used to be so much better.” All about growing older…,” he said.
He added: ‘I also feel very happy. I have a wonderful wife who I love very much, and she loves me. I have wonderful children. I think life is pretty good.”
He explained that he works less as he gets older, and that he has stopped directing films because it takes too much time.
Foy channeled old Hollywood glamor in a red dress and opera gloves as she made her spectacular arrival
Foy, 42, plays a fictional newspaper director at The Sun, Jules Davies, in Danny Boyle’s Ink, which is about the mogul’s takeover of the newspaper in 1969
Foy said today she found her adventure into the world of 1960s tabloid journalism “really intoxicating” and was the envy of reporters
“They had power at their fingertips,” she said. “They knew what they wrote would be what people read and what people believed.”
All eyes were on Foy as she descended on the red carpet in front of an army of photographers
Amal was the epitome of elegance in a black Tom Ford dress with ruffles
Clooney is in Venice to accept a Lifetime Achievement award, which will be presented before the premiere
The couple wrapped their arms around each other as they posed for photos
The media was also on the minds of actor Clooney – whose father Nick is a retired newsreader and journalist
After posing for a photo with his wife Amal, he jokingly took a place among the bank of press photographers and pretended to be taking photos himself
Clooney joked that he was feeling nostalgic in the run-up to the festival
Clooney’s co-star in that film, Laura Dern, presented him with the award last night
‘I have two nine-year-old children. If I’m in a movie, it’s three months [away]. When I direct a film, it takes a year. And I can’t do that anymore.
‘I can no longer pick up the children from school. I’m happy that I can do this again as an actor. It’s fun. I’m a character actor now.”
He said he hopes to make a new Oceans movie with close friends Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, adding, “As soon as our schedules work out, we’ll start filming.”
Made famous thanks to the TV series ER, he subsequently appeared in films such as Out of Sight, Syriana, Three Kings, O Brother Where Art Thou and Jay Kelly, which were shown at the festival last year.
His co-star in that film, Laura Dern, presented him with the award last night.
The film arrives in UK cinemas on January 8 and will be available to stream on Netflix in the US the same day.
There will also be a limited theatrical screening in the US on December 11.
The Venice International Film Festival runs until September 12, with stars including Robert Pattinson and Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher expected to descend on the Lido.
