Both Lady Gaga & Scarlett Johansson had Emotional Moments at Venice Film Festival, According to Artistic Director

The Venice Film Festival is an opportunity to showcase new projects to an audience, and that can be an emotional experience.

According to artistic director Alberto Barbera, that was the case for both Scarlett Johansson and Lady Gaga when they had their turns on the red carpet at the annual event.

He opened up about those moments, which were drastically different, in a recent interview.

Read more about Scarlett Johansson and Lady Gaga at the Venice Film Festival…

Speaking to The Guardian, Alberto recalled Scarlett having a tough time after her movie Under the Skin was panned at its 2013 premiere.

“It was one of the worst screenings I’ve attended; it was the only time the audience booed a film,” he told the outlet. “Scarlett was almost in tears. I tried to say to her: ‘Don’t worry, in time the film will be recognized.’ And that’s exactly what happened. It’s now a cult movie.”

Despite negative reactions at the festival, the movie ended up being certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where it secured an 84% critics score.

Alberto recalled Gaga having a tough time for a different reason when she attended the 2018 premiere of A Star is Born.

“I remember the world premiere of A Star Is Born [in 2018], when Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga were on the red carpet in the rain,” he recalled, saying, “Lady Gaga refused to get into the theatre because she wanted to keep signing autographs for her fans.”

It was an emotional moment for her: “When she came to my office to dry and redo her makeup, she was shaking. I said: ‘But you must be used to it, you have huge concerts with thousands of people.’ And she said: ‘Yes, but this is my first time as an actress, and I feel like a debutante.’ I put my arm around her shoulders and took her into the theatre. At the end of the film, she was crying.”

Despite the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes, at least 10 stars are confirmed to attend the 2023 Venice Film Festival, which starts on August 30.

Speaking of A Star is Born, did you know four other musical icons were considered for Gaga‘s part before she was cast?