Star-studded critique: Charlize Theron and Rosie O'Donnell slam Jeff Bezos's $50 million wedding bash

This past weekend, while the luxurious canals of Venice played host to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos’s lavish wedding, many high-profile celebrities expressed their anger at the billionaire’s $50 million celebration.

South African actress Charlize Theron, American talk show host and comedian Rosie O'Donnell and several others have expressed their disapproval, escalating societal concerns over socio-political issues and income inequality.

The star-studded gathering in Venice saw A-list attendees, including Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Kardashian-Jenner clan, relish in the celebrations, but the celebrities who declined to attend the lavish event have come up for discussion, particularly as many deal with urgent social problems back home.

At her fifth annual Block Party for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) in Los Angeles, Theron made headlines by declaring that she was “not sad” about missing the wedding.

“I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding, but that’s OK because they suck and we’re cool, said the Oscar-winning actress.

Questioning the narrative of celebrity life, she highlighted the urgent issues affecting communities worldwide.

"Here in Los Angeles, in the US and across the globe, we’re moving backwards fast ... Immigration policy has destroyed the lives of families, not criminals, women’s rights are becoming less and less every day, queer and trans lives are increasingly being erased and gender-based violence is on the rise."

Theron further condemned the detrimental impact of cuts to foreign aid, particularly in her homeland, South Africa, where critical healthcare programs have been significantly affected.

"People will lose their lives. Many have already, unfortunately and at a frightening rate. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see this kind of unnecessary suffering," she said. 

By the end of the event, Theron managed to raise over $1 million for the Africa Outreach Project. 

Meanwhile, O’Donnell took to her personal Substack (an online platform) to express her disgust over the excess displayed at the billionaire's wedding.

In a poem titled "Jeff’s Wedding", O'Donnell wrote about her unease with the gathering of wealthy elites, questioning the integrity of relationships among these stars and the ethical implications of their affiliations with Bezos, who has been accused of treating employees poorly.

O’Donnell also criticised Bezos's new bride.

She compared Sánchez to Bezos’s first wife, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who is well-known for her significant charitable contributions.

O’Donnell’s poem ended with an illustrative comparison of Sánchez's appearance over the years, making a pointed remark on the superficiality of beauty standards.

"Rosemary's Baby" actress Mia Farrow and "X-Men" actress Olivia Munn opted for more subtle jabs, with Farrow celebrating Scott’s philanthropic work while Munn previously labelled Sánchez’s space adventures as "gluttonous".

Former CBS anchor Katie Couric took her swipe at Sánchez's choice of wedding attire, subtly mocking the fashion of the event.