London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Actors, models, social media influencers face backlash for attending festival in Saudi Arabia

Actors, social media influencers, models and other celebrities attended a festival in Saudi Arabia and posted about it to their accounts.

Supermodels and social media mavens, their makeup artists and hair stylists in tow, posed at MDL Beast, a concert. What was unusual about these Instagram posts was that they were all tagged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which caught the attention of some critics.

The bevy of Instagram stars, former Victoria's Secret models, including Alessandra Ambrosio, and Hollywood actors such as Ryan Phillippe, Ed Westwick, Armie Hammer and Wilmer Valderrama were invited to Saudi Arabia over the weekend to promote the kingdom's most eye-popping effort at showcasing the changes taking hold in the country, where more than half of its 20 million citizens are under 25 years old.

It's a pivot from three years ago, when religious police stormed restaurants playing music and harassed women in malls for showing their face or wearing red nail polish.

Though the efforts are aimed at boosting the economy while polishing Saudi Arabia's image abroad and appealing to the young, the stars in attendance faced criticism from social media for being tone-deaf and "shameless."

Aminatou Sow, co-host of the "Call Your Girlfriend" podcast, called out the celebrities by sharing screenshots of their social media posts highlighting the Saudi Arabia trip.

"Would love to know which PR firm/s kingdom of Saudi Arabia hired to do its image rehab," Sow wrote to Twitter. "Sick to see celebs and influencers shamelessly promoting this nonsense.


Sow cited controversial events in the country, including journalist Jamal Kashoggi's murder.

Diet Prada, a popular Instagram account that called out the fashion industry, shamed attendees for their participation.

"What’s worse than an all white @revolve influencer trip?" read a post on Instagram. "Cashing big fat checks in exchange for #content creation (aka propaganda) to rehabilitate the image of Saudi Arabia, a country said to be causing 'the world’s worst humanitarian crisis', according to the United Nations."

When asked by The Associated Press, the entertainment authority that licensed MDL Beast said some people were compensated for promoting the event, but it denied six-figure sums were paid to individuals.

Phillippe responded to criticisms by sharing photos from his trip and captioning one of them with an explanation on why he chose to attend.

"i had a magical day with wonderful people. will prob add to this caption later when i gather my thoughts again. i love travel. i love different cultures," he wrote. "I love how we can find ways to connect through our human oneness, the pure desire for love and freedom. no matter where in the world. hoping those connections help to bring even more positive change and progress."

This year, hip-hop star Nicki Minaj pulled out of performing in the kingdom over concerns about women's rights, gay rights and freedom of expression.

Though the social changes ushered in by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been sweeping, so, too, is his crackdown on criticism and political expression. The prince has overseen the country's war in Yemen, which has led to a humanitarian crisis, and the arrest of women's rights activists, clerics and writers.

He drew international condemnation after the killing of Saudi writer and Washington Post columnist Khashoggi in Turkey, slaughtered by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year.

The incident tarnished Prince Mohammed’s international image, though his popularity is undeniable at home.

“The changes are really incredible, and, God willing, we are heading toward even more,” said Mona Hassan, a mother out with her grown daughters at a family-friendly carnival in Diriyah, near Riyadh. “We are with Mohammed bin Salman wherever he takes us and whatever happens.”

The Diriyah festival, which opened a month ago, included sporting events such as the world's heavyweight boxing championship.

Families skated on an ice-rink, ziplined across the park, rode on a Ferris wheel and played galactic bowling. At the other end of the site, a younger crowd of Saudis smoked shisha – the bubbling waterpipe – and dined at pop-up restaurants where prices ranged from $100 to $1,200 a person for a meal.

Couples sat on park benches under the stars, listening to a Saudi musician playing the oud, a stringed instrument popular in the Middle East.

Only one major incident has marred the festivities. Last month, a Yemeni man stabbed two Spanish dancers and a guard at a live show in Riyadh. State media reported this week that he had allegedly acted on the orders of a senior al-Qaida leader in Yemen, according to evidence submitted during his trial.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×