> At a Glance
> – Amanda Seyfried, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti lit up the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan 3
> – Paul Mescal headlined a West Hollywood screening on Jan 2
> – Michelle Yeoh fronted Malaysia’s new “Visit Malaysia” push on Jan 3
> – Why it matters: The week’s back-to-back celebrity stops show how festivals and tourism boards rely on A-list pull to grab headlines
Hollywood’s awards-season caravan rolled through the California desert, Times Square and Kuala Lumpur this week, with Amanda Seyfried, Paul Mescal and Michelle Yeoh leading a globe-trotting slate of premieres, parades and tourism launches.
Palm Springs Film Festival Spotlights
Amanda Seyfried took the stage for a Q&A about The Testament of Ann Lee on Jan 3, the same day Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti turned the fest into a fashion runway. Chase Infiniti kept her look low-key in a gray blazer while mingling with cinephiles.
- Seyfried’s appearance marks her first post-Golden Globe nomination outing of the season
- Taylor’s return to the desert circuit amps up buzz around her upcoming projects
- Infiniti’s understated style balanced the weekend’s flashier ensembles
Countdown Chaos: From Times Square to the Strip
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora co-hosted Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on Dec 31, joined by Mariah Carey, Demi Lovato, Maren Morris and 50 Cent under a blizzard of confetti. Across the country, Jennifer Lopez launched her Las Vegas residency in a shimmering magenta outfit, while Jason Aldean and Lainey Wilson rocked Nashville’s Big Bash.
| City | Headliner(s) | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| NYC | Carey, Lovato, 50 Cent | 70-carat diamond necklace on Carey |
| Las Vegas | Jennifer Lopez | Residency debut at Caesars Palace |
| Nashville | Aldean, Wilson | Post-midnight guitar sets |
Global Drop-Ins
Michelle Yeoh glowed at Kuala Lumpur’s Jan 3 kickoff for the “Visit Malaysia” tourism drive, while Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing on Jan 2 and Mark Wahlberg soaked up Barbados sun on Dec 28.
Key Takeaways
- Palm Springs Film Festival is emerging as a must-stop for Oscar hopefuls
- Networks stacked NYE line-ups with genre-spanning performers to recapture pre-pandemic ratings
- Tourism boards are tapping Oscar winners (Yeoh) and humanitarian voices (Jolie) for global reach
From film-fest red carpets to ball-drop stages, this week proved celebrities still own the calendar’s biggest spotlight slots.
