Inside Sarah Harrelson and Charles Porch’s Cannes Lions Luncheon

Amid what Puck’s Matt Belloni referred to as the “soulless corporate boondoggle” of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, CULTURED’s Sarah Harrelson and OpenAI’s Charles Porch hosted a lunch fête at the Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage. The friends, who first met due to Porch and his husband Robert Denning’s work as patrons of the Met, gathered an intimate group that merged the creative communities of each’s operation—actors, musicians, athletes, founders, and emerging media included—for conversation over Hugo Spritzs and hamachi. Set against the backdrop of the French Riviera, guests enjoyed a relaxed setting designed to spark unexpected introductions, inspire new ideas, and explore the evolving relationship between culture, creativity, and technology.

The Occasion: Held during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the event celebrated the increasingly porous boundaries between media, technology, and culture. The afternoon reflected a shared belief that meaningful storytelling—whether through print, platforms, or emerging technologies—remains rooted in creativity and human connection.

The Locale: Framed by swaying palms and sweeping views of the Côte d’Azur, guests gathered at Hôtel & Spa Belle Plage, a true riviera retreat. Over leisurely snacks, chilled cocktails, and music by DJ Mercees Benson, attendees took in the festival buzz from a more tranquil vantage point.

The Crowd: Musicians Flavor Flav and Ravyn Lenae were amongst the crowd, as were athletes Maria Sharapova, Midge Purce, and Shaun White; actor Anthony Ramos; style tastemakers Rachel Zoe and Marcos Fecchino; tech leaders John Coogan, Jordi Hays, and Dylan Abruscato; entertainment executive Tucker Brown; and comedian Hannah Stocking.

Parting Gift: Before departing, guests received copies of CULTURED’s CULT100 issue—a fitting keepsake from an afternoon devoted to creative exchange and unexpected conversation.

Anthony Ramos and Sarah Harrelson

Flavor Flav

Charles Porch and Tucker Brown

Maria Sharapova

Ravyn Lenae and Aiden Cullen

Jordi Hays, Dylan Abruscato, and John Coogan

Hannah Stocking

Serena Kerrigan

DJ Mercedes Benson

Olivia Frary and Marcos Fecchino

Aiden Cullen and Travis Bennett