GEORGE CLOONEY, DANIEL CRAIG, FERNANDO ALONSO … THE STARS ALIGN TO CELEBRATE THE UNVEILING OF ASTON MARTIN'S VANQUISH IN VENICE: ‘IT'S A MASTERPIECE'
Lido must have felt very empty on Monday, as some of the biggest stars in the world flocked to the historic Venetian Arsenale for a glittery unveiling of Aston Martin's Vanquish.
"Wolfs" star George Clooney with wife Amal, "Queer" star Daniel Craig, "Horizon 2" director and star Kevin Costner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Douglas and Joel Edgerton all arrived for an intimate, impossibly glamorous gathering.
Acclaimed costume designer Sandy Powell and model and actor Poppy Delevingne were also spotted, as well as Dominic Cooper. Raffey Cassidy still couldn't shake off the rapturous reception of "The Brutalist," Brady Corbet's main competition entry which scored a whooping 12-minute-long standing ovation. Its lead Adrien Brody was also in attendance.
Illuminated by the lights and surrounded by the quiet laguna, the new V12 flagship model was revealed by Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
"This is what the next generation of Aston Martin looks like," said executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, quickly poking fun at the competition. "Why are we here in Venice? We want to beat the locals. There is this red team, I forgot their name."
"Four years ago, I had a vision to create the world's most desirable, ultra-luxury, high performance brand. On top of that, to build a Formula One team to carry a victory at the pinnacle of modern sports. It has had its challenges and we are still very young compared to our competitors, but we will kick their ass in the next few years," he promised his guests, quickly lining up to touch and examine his latest creation up close.
Stroll also thanked the Italian Navy, including admiral Enrico Credendino, and underlined the significance of the chosen venue as a place that's always at "the intersection of history, art and culture."
And cinema, always cinema. Chatting to Variety, Aston Martin's Renato Bisignani noted Aston Martin's decades-long connection to the screen. And to a certain 007 agent.
"It's probably the longest lasting partnership in the film industry. Bond is synonymous with Aston and Aston is synonymous with Bond," he said.
Craig, who walks the red carpet for Luca Guadagnino's buzzy drama "Queer" today, posed next to the car. His reign as everyone's favorite secret agent might be over following 2021's "No Time to Die," but now, a new Aston is already waiting for a new Bond.
"Every other week we hear a new name – there's so much speculation [about the next 007]. We are renovating our product and we are expecting to see a new face," laughed Bisignani, while calling Vanquish a "work of art."
"For us, it's a masterpiece."
After the official part of the evening was over, celebrities continued to mingle and party the hot night away, calmly sipping Bellinis far away from the prying eyes of their fans and Italian paparazzi.
"Before I play a show, I talk to people, I spend some time outside and that becomes the performance. Whoever I talk to this day, is the performance," Grammy-nominated musician Masego assured Variety before going on stage. If that's the case, it must have been his starriest to date.