“I Don’t Think So!”: Actress Demands Silence to Honor Cher’s Legendary Status at Cannes Event
CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE—The 30th annual amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala, a beacon of celebrity glamour and high-stakes charity during the Cannes Film Festival, was dramatically paused on May 23, 2024. Hollywood icon Demi Moore, co-chairing the event at the lavish Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, silenced the room by delivering a stunning public rebuke to a disruptive audience member.
Moore was on stage introducing the headlining performer, the singular superstar Cher, a momentous tribute amid the key fundraising event. As the actress spoke, honoring Cher’s decades-long career, noise began to build from the back of the room, threatening to interrupt the proceedings.
Without hesitation, Moore, known for her powerful screen presence, immediately paused her prepared remarks. She pointed directly into the crowd and delivered a fiery, now-viral reprimand that instantly seized the room’s attention: “Are you the Emmy winner in the back of the room? I don’t think so!”
The pointed demand for silence was met with scattered cheers and gasps, allowing Moore to continue her introduction and demand the absolute respect due to the figure she was about to welcome to the stage. Her spontaneous act underscored the monumental status of Cher, who holds the rare distinction of being one of the few artists to have won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award.
The very Emmy status Moore referenced was won by Cher in 2003 for Cher: The Farewell Tour. Beyond this, Cher’s legacy includes an Oscar for Best Actress for Moonstruck (1988) and the distinction of being the only solo artist to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart across seven consecutive decades (1960s to 2020s).
This highly public celebrity moment took place amid one of the world’s most critical charitable gatherings. The amfAR Gala is a cornerstone of the Cannes Film Festival, dedicated to raising hundreds of millions of dollars for AIDS research. Moore’s forceful defense of a fellow icon, while attending Cannes to promote her own film, The Substance, stole the headlines. Following the unexpected drama, Cher took the stage to a roaring standing ovation, confirming that respect, indeed, had been earned.
