Old versus new masculinities: The debate shaking up Cannes

“Masculinity, for me, is always changing.” At 29, Paul Mescal is part of a generation of actors whose attitude, way of approaching life, and choice of projects mark a clear break from the traditional mold of actors from earlier eras. In truth, it’s more about behavior than age — and this year’s Cannes Film Festival has made that clear: Leonardo DiCaprio and Pedro Pascal, are only six months apart in age, but they are a world apart when it comes to their life philosophies.

At the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, this clash between old and new masculinities was seen from the screen to the red carpet. The testosterone radiating from the gala screening of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One came from Tom Cruise himself, ever driven by his mantra: higher, stronger, farther. While he didn’t pull any stunts in Cannes, just days earlier he had climbed onto the roof of an IMAX cinema in London.

And as for the female characters — especially those for whom Hunt has had romantic feelings — they’ve often been brutally killed, in one case with an explosive implanted in the brain.

Leonardo DiCaprio —another alpha male present on the Croisette — made only one public appearance: at the opening gala, where he presented the honorary Palme d’Or to Robert De Niro. The grand Lumière Theatre was buzzing with emotion, and even the typically reserved De Niro warmly embraced Leo, affectionately calling him “my boy”— a gesture DiCaprio received with awkward stiffness.

By contrast, Pedro Pascal, Harris Dickinson (who has already made his directorial debut with the intriguing Urchin), Alexander Skarsgård — who looks two decades younger than his 48 years — Joaquin Phoenix, Paul Mescal, and Robert Pattinson embody a different kind of masculinity.

Also part of this group is Josh O’Connor, who has two films in competition (The Mastermind, which closes the official selection, and The History of Sound, which reunites him with Mescal), although he won’t be able to attend the festival until Saturday due to a filming commitment. Other stars aligned with this new wave include Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet.

It seems unlikely that DiCaprio would dare show up to a photocall in a sleeveless, side-cut Calvin Klein top like Pascal did for his film Eddington.

Skarsgård opted for a classic black suit — but paired it with thigh-high Saint Laurent boots to walk the red carpet. At the gala for his film Pillion — in which he plays the leader of a sadomasochistic gay biker gang who begins a relationship with a seemingly timid parking ticket officer — he wore leather pants and a white T-shirt.

For that screening, Pascal slipped in quietly among the general audience, and after the applause at the end, he and Skarsgård embraced, with the Swedish actor giving him a kiss: it became the viral moment of this year’s Cannes.

Alexander Skarsgård has built a career much like that of his father, Stellan Skarsgård — steering clear of trends and simply doing what he wants. The best example of the irony and charm he brings to his public appearances can be found in the photo that accompanies his profile on IMDb, the major online encyclopedia of film and television. In it, he poses wearing a tuxedo jacket, shirt, and bow tie — paired with tiny briefs and socks held up by garters.

These actors ironic and funny, favoring playfulness and irreverence in public appearances — even as they are socially committed. In fashion, they oscillate between studied nonchalance and cutting-edge trends. They never lose sight of cinema’s artistic dimension, and they’re clearly aware of the shifting paradigm around masculinity.