No, Alia Bhatt Did Not 'Replace' Aishwarya Rai At Cannes Film Festival | L'Oréal Controversy Explained

Alia Bhatt attended the Cannes Film Festival for the second time. The actress made stunning appearances as the brand ambassador of L'Oréal at the opening day of the festival, May 11. Ever since Alia touched down in the French Riviera, fans of Aishwarya Rai were left fuming. The veteran actress has been the face of the beauty brand and has attended the Cannes Film Festival over 20 times.

However, for their first promotional campaigns at Cannes 2026, L'Oréal rolled out posters unfurled from the iconic Martinez hotel. The brand only added posters of Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, and Helen Mirren, which left Aishwarya Rai fans fuming. Some even speculated that the veteran actress, who has been a regular at the film festival, will give the event a miss.

More than speculations, the brand faced flak for ignoring Aishwarya Rai in the promotional material. They received backlash when reports suggested that Alia had ‘replaced’ Aishwarya for the brand. However, this is not the truth.

Also Read: Alia Gets Ignored By Paps At Cannes, Netizens Call It 'Embarrassing'

Is Aishwarya Rai attending the Cannes Film Festival?

For the Cannes Film Festival, brands send celebrities they have been associated with to maximise global visibility, attain high-profile brand placements from red carpet moments and generate immense social media engagement. L'Oréal is one of the many brands partaking in the practice. For the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the brand has a star-studded lineup.

Also Read: Alia Over Aishwarya? L'Oreal Draws Netizens' Ire Over Cannes Campaign 

Alia Bhatt attended the opening ceremony of the film festival for the brand. After attending nearly 5 events, the actress wrapped up her visit. Next, Aditi Rao Hydari is making her way to the French Riviera to represent the brand. She will be at Cannes for a few days, after which she will be joined by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Putting an end to all rumours, the beauty brand confirmed that the Devdas actress will attend the festival this year as well. As per reports, Aishwarya Rai will be arriving at Cannes around May 21 to attend the final days and the coveted closing ceremony of the film festival. 

Also Read: L'Oréal Paris Reacts To Fan Questioning Aishwarya's Absence At Cannes