Riley Keough at Cannes 2026: Why Getting Older Made Her More Confident Than Ever

Riley Keough walked the red carpet at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2026, for the premiere of her film Butterfly Jam. She chose a soft, wisp thin Chanel skirt combo instead of a heavy gown. The actress, who became a Chanel house ambassador in 2023, said the outfit was simply “one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life.” But the conversation quickly turned from fashion to something deeper. Keough opened up about growing older in Hollywood, working with Barry Keoghan, and why she is embracing a new chapter with the luxury brand.

Chanel Enters a ‘Whole New Era’

Keough has long orbited the French fashion house. Now, with Matthieu Blazy at the creative helm, she feels a fresh energy. “It’s like a whole new era, and just so modern in a sense, but so sort of classically Chanel as well. It’s kind of genius,” she told WWD. She described Blazy’s work as “fun and joyful, unexpected and really vibrant.” Then she paused on one word. “And youthful — though I kind of hate the word ‘youthful,’ because I actually really love aging and like to embrace that.”

That moment opened a wider discussion about the pressure women face to stay young forever.

Why Aging Is a Privilege, Not a Problem

At 36, Keough is thinking honestly about growing older. “It’s such a strange process. As a woman, you’re kind of brainwashed to not do it — but there’s no way to not age,” she said. She noted that men do not carry the same burden. “Men don’t have that experience.”

She pushed back against the fear of aging. “It is a privilege to age — people say that — to get older and to have life experience and to be here and to be alive. And I think that is true. So I try to embrace the process.” She added that she actively tries to “retrain my brain from all the crazy s–t” like beauty products that promise to make you look 15. “I think women become more elegant as they age,” she said.

That confidence has only grown with time. “I’m definitely a totally different person and I am much more confident,” she reflected. “When you’re young, it’s actually really hard to be a young girl. As you get older, you do become more confident, even physically. You become more in your body and not so much in your head.”

Butterfly Jam and Working With Barry Keoghan

In Butterfly Jam, Keough plays Zalya, the pregnant sister of Barry Keoghan’s troubled character. The film is part of the Directors’ Fortnight section in Cannes. Critics have called it psychologically uneasy and emotionally claustrophobic. Keough serves as the restrained emotional center.

She had wanted to work with director Kantemir Balagov ever since she saw his film Beanpole. “It’s not an intellectual thing,” she said of her script choices. “It’s more just like I read it and I start to feel like, ‘Oh, I know who this is.'” She called it a “spiritual” connection.

Working alongside Keoghan was a highlight. “He and I work in a very similar way,” she said. “Which was really fun for me — sort of like, who knows what’s gonna happen? It’s very open and free. It’s my favorite way to work and I don’t often get to, so it was really nice to have someone I could spark off of.”

The Magic of Cannes and Communal Moviegoing

Keough has attended Cannes multiple times. She still remembers winning the Camera d’Or prize for War Pony, her directorial debut with Gina Gammell. “It was so unexpected,” she recalled. “Even getting into Cannes was unexpected, and then winning was totally — no part of us expected it at all.” They had already booked a flight to leave.

Seeing Butterfly Jam premiere with a live audience reminded her why cinemas matter. “It’s much more fun to watch it with a group of people in a theater. You can hear responses and reactions. It’s much different than watching something on a computer.” She added, “Anytime you do go to the cinema, you’re like, ‘Wow, it’s so much better watching something on a big screen.'”

For Keough, Cannes remains special. “It’s such an iconic film festival. It feels like the birthplace of so many incredible films and filmmakers and careers.”

Source
Richford, Rhonda. “Riley Keough on Aging, Cannes and the New Chanel.” WWD, May 15, 2026.