Venice Film Festival is the backdrop for celebrity romances: Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky, Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon among the stars showcasing their love

Amal Clooney, George Clooney, Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt stand together at a movie premiere.
Amal and George Clooney with Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt at the Wolfs premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images)

Venice is the backdrop of love for many people, including a bevy of Hollywood stars.

With the Venice Film Festival underway through Sept. 7, entertainers have descended upon the scenic City of Canals to promote their projects at premieres and parties. But many are making business more pleasurable with the companionship of their significant other.

Brad Pitt made his relationship with girlfriend Ines de Ramon red carpet official at the Wolfs premiere on Sept. 1, while doing his best to avoid ex Angelina Jolie. Couples Rami Malek and Emma Corrin and Olivia Rodrigo and Louis Partridge also showcased their romances for the first time.

Lady Gaga gave the Monsters their first glimpse of her gigantic engagement ring — and even shared a canal-side smooch with fiancé Michael Polansky. Justin Theroux topped them all, proposing to girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom in Italy — and she showed off her ring at the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiere.

Let’s see those lovebirds and more aflutter in Venice...

The couple, who became engaged over the summer, starred in their own real-life love scene outside the Hotel Cipriani. The Joker: Folie à Deux star — looking glam in a polka-dot dress with black tights and black pumps — smooched the entrepreneur alongside their water taxi. Her engagement ring was the real statement piece, though. It was the first time Gaga had shown off the diamond, which is so sparkly and sizable it was impossible to miss.

Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky kiss outside a hotel.
Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky outside Hotel Cipriani on Sept. 2. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia via Getty Images)
A close-up view of Lady Gaga’s engagement ring.
Lady Gaga’s engagement ring. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia via Getty Images)

After all these years as a Hollywood leading man, the Wolfs actor has red carpets down pat. But whenever his human rights lawyer wife is his plus-one, it elevates the star to the next level of glam. He rocked a tux for his film’s premiere, while Amal shone in a corset-style yellow gown with a train. When they stood next to Pitt, his buddy comedy co-star, and de Ramon, they were an especially fetching foursome. (The couples also dined out together at Ristorante da Ivo.) Perhaps some of the Clooneys’ radiance can be attributed to their love of Venice. After all, it’s where they tied the knot 10 years ago.

Amal Clooney and George Clooney pose for photographers on the red carpet.
The Clooneys at the Sept. 1 premiere of Wolfs. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP) (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

The couple, who got together in 2022, solidified their romantic status at the Wolfs premiere. The luxury jewelry executive, who was once married to actor Paul Wesley, wore a one-shoulder white dress, while the actor dressed in all black. This is a big step for Pitt, whose divorce from Jolie has been playing out over the last eight years. Complicating it all is that Jolie was also in Venice to promote her film about opera singer Maria Callas.

Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon walk to the red carpet.
Pitt and de Ramon made their red carpet debut at the Wolfs premiere. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images) (Vittorio Zunino Celotto via Getty Images)

The Washington Post reports that a lot went into making sure the exes didn’t cross paths, including staggering their premiere dates. Pitt also allowed the Clooneys to shine in the spotlight, using the opportunity to usher de Ramon inside and allowing photographers to only get a few snaps of them together. Stealth move from a Hollywood pro.

The 007 actor’s performance in Queer, in which he plays a drug-addicted gay man, is being touted as one of his very best, and he had his actress wife of over a decade supporting him at the premiere. Craig made sure his Black Widow star spouse had her fashion moment, giving Weisz a little spin to show off her blue strapless dress. Their hands were entwined the rest of the time.

Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz pose for photographers on the red carpet.
Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz at the premiere of Queer on Sept. 3. (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Have you seen the singer look “Happier”? With a minute break from her successful “Guts World Tour,” Rodrigo popped over to Venice to publicly support Partridge at the premiere of his limited series, Disclaimer, which stars Cate Blanchett. They didn’t pose on the red carpet, opting instead to make their official couple debut in photos taken at the after-party. Partridge giving Rodrigo a candid kiss made for an even better moment.

Louis Partridge leans over and kisses the side of Olivia Rodrigo's face.
Louis Partridge and Olivia Rodrigo celebrate the Disclaimer premiere at Harry’s Dolci in Venice on Aug. 30. (Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images) (Eric Charbonneau via Getty Images)

Theroux used the festival trip not just to promote the Beetlejuice sequel, but also to propose to the Gilded Age actress, who he’s been dating for a year. People magazine reports they were in Italy together when Theroux, who was previously married to Jennifer Aniston, popped the question. At the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiere, Bloom debuted her ring on the red carpet. The sparkler reportedly features a 4-carat emerald-cut, flawless diamond, with the couple’s birthstones embedded in the band.

Justin Theroux and Nicole Brydon Bloom smile on the red carpet.
Justin Theroux and Nicole Brydon Bloom, who got engaged in Italy, were all smiles as she unveiled her ring at the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiere on Aug. 28. (Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage) (Stefania D'Alessandro via Getty Images)

After a year of dating, Malek and Corrin made their couple debut at the film festival. The stylish pair had their arms around each other as they posed for photographers. There was no hiding from them anyway, with the Crown star in a bright green cropped Miu Miu suit jacket and skirt. Glamour for days.

Rami Malek smiles for the camera as he stands with his arm around Emma Corrin's shoulders.
Rami Malek and Emma Corrin at the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 31. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia via Getty Images)

The movie star showed appreciation for his wife, dropping to a knee in awe at the Wolfs premiere. The day before, Silva had praised Gere in a social media tribute on his 75th birthday, writing, “After 11 amazing years together, it still feels like the day we first met. ... You make my life better in every way, and I’m so grateful to have you by my side.” The couple, who share two children, also attended the amfAR Gala in Venice, where he was honored.

Richard Gere stands with his arm around wife Alejandra Silva on the red carpet.
Richard Gere and his wife, Alejandra Silva, at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 1. (zz/KGC-34/STAR MAX/IPx/Associated Press) (zz/KGC-34/STAR MAX/IPx)
Gere drops to one knee in front of Silva on the red carpet.
Gere bows down to Silva. (Dave Benett/WireImage) (Dave Benett via Getty Images)

Advertisement