Sydney Sweeney got straight to work in Venice on Thursday, roping in a friend to snap an impromptu photoshoot on board a water taxi. The actress has jetted in for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, even though she has no film projects to promote at this year's event.
Sweeney emerged from her canalside hotel in a strapless white mini dress, adding shades and a black clutch bag as she made her way to the water taxi, where her friend promptly began snapping photos of the posing star.
Instead of walking a red carpet for a film, Sweeney is in Venice in her role as global ambassador for Armani Beauty, the official sponsor of the festival. She shares that ambassador role with fellow model and actress Kendall Jenner, who will also be attending red carpets and parties tied to the brand during the festival.
Venice Film Festival glamour
The Venice Film Festival's red carpet events began on Wednesday with the premiere of British director Danny Boyle's Ink, a drama about the rise of media magnate Rupert Murdoch. The festival closes on September 12 with the Italian costume drama Dio Ride (God Laughs), written and directed by Giovanni Veronesi.
Stars expected to attend this year include Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, sisters Rooney and Kate Mara, Robert Pattinson, Penelope Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem, Pamela Anderson, Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, French actor Louis Garrel, South Korean actress Cho Yeo-jeong and American actress Ellen Burstyn, who is accepting a lifetime achievement award at this year's festival.
Birthday and a night at Harry's Bar
Sweeney, who will celebrate her 29th birthday next week, spent her first night in Venice at the famous celebrity hotspot Harry's Bar. She wore another strapless white dress for the outing, accessorising with a custom necklace featuring the initials 'SB', in an apparent tribute to her boyfriend, Scooter Braun, who has been described as a billionaire.
Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun's romance
Just one day before arriving in Venice, Sweeney was spotted out in Los Angeles with Braun, 45, who she has been romantically linked to since September 2025. The couple were joined by Braun's three children, Jagger Joseph, 11, Levi Magnus, nine, and Hart Violet, seven, who he shares with his ex-wife, Yael Cohen.
Braun married Cohen in 2014, and the pair went on to have their three children together. Their marriage broke down in 2021, when Braun filed for divorce, which was finalised in 2022.
Sweeney looked affectionate with Braun's children on Monday afternoon as the group went for a stroll after school before stopping for smoothies, marking a notable step in the couple's relationship. The romance began months after Sweeney and Braun met at the Venice wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in June last year.
Other stars spotted at the festival
Sweeney was not the only famous face making an appearance around Venice this week. Claire Foy, known for playing a young Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix's The Crown, was pictured leaving the Hotel Excelsior the morning after the Venice premiere of her new film, Ink.
Laura Dern was seen the day after delivering the Laudatio speech honouring her friend and Ink co-star George Clooney, who received a lifetime achievement award at the festival.
Model Karlie Kloss made her arrival at the airport, while director Martin McDonagh's cast, including John Malkovich, Mariana Di Girolamo, Parker Posey, Sam Rockwell and Steve Buscemi, along with Graham Broadbent, Ailan Salas and Anita Overland, attended the Wild Horse Nine photocall on Thursday morning.
