The Walking Dead star and Canneseries jury president, Norman Reedus, had to pull out of the festival due to prior work commitments. This unexpected absence left fans and organizers scrambling, but the show, as they say, must go on.
Reedus’s absence was noticeable at the opening night’s Pink Carpet event. His position as jury president has been filled by fellow jury member Jeff Russo, a composer known for his work on Fargo and numerous other projects. A spokesperson for Canneseries confirmed the news, and Reedus’s representatives have been contacted for comment.
Despite the high-profile absence, the festival continued its opening night festivities. Other jury members, including Soo Hugh, César Domboy, Louise Bourgoin, and Lola Dueñas, were in attendance, along with French actress Marie Colomb, the recipient of the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award. Interestingly, the opening night’s featured series, *The Agency*, was unrepresented by its stars, Michael Fassbender and Jeffrey Wright, as they are currently filming the show’s second season.
The Canneseries festival, however, is pressing forward, boasting an impressive lineup of international series. The jury, now under the leadership of Jeff Russo, will be judging a diverse range of shows, including *Reykjavik Fusion* (Iceland), *A Better Man* (Norway), and *S Line* (South Korea). The festival continues to attract major international projects, a testament to its growing influence in the television world.
Tonight, *The Walking Dead* franchise will get a special screening of *Dead City* season 2. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, star of the spin-off, and producer Scott Gimple will be attending, walking the Pink Carpet later in the evening. This continues a trend of high-profile American series finding a home at Canneseries, as previously seen with shows like *Fallout*, *Silo*, and *Franklin*.
The absence of Norman Reedus is certainly unfortunate, but the Canneseries festival demonstrates its resilience and continued appeal as a key player in the global television landscape.
