Adam Driver has revealed that he secretly sneaks out of his own Cannes premieres because he cannot bear watching himself onscreen, even as his latest film Paper Tiger becomes one of the festival’s biggest talking points. The actor arrived at the Cannes Film Festival this year alongside co-star Miles Teller and filmmaker James Gray for the premiere of the gritty crime drama, continuing a long Cannes streak that has included titles such as Annette, The Last Duel, BlacKkKlansman, and Megalopolis. Yet despite becoming one of the Croisette’s most familiar modern stars, Driver admits the anxiety of seeing himself on a giant screen has never disappeared.

Because while audiences settle into velvet seats inside the Lumière Theatre, Driver is usually already plotting his escape route.

During the premiere of Paper Tiger, Adam Driver once again slipped out moments after the screening began. Speaking candidly afterward, the actor admitted to Variety, 

“I can’t stand to watch myself. I have a whole system where I wait until everything is starting and I go through these mazes into a room that overlooks all these boats. And then I sneak back in and try not to be noisy so I can be there as the lights come up.”

Even his coping methods have evolved over time. Driver admitted he once relied on a few drinks before screenings to calm his nerves, though he learned quickly that returning to overly cheerful to emotionally devastating films created awkward tonal whiplash for everyone around him.

It is not a one-time habit either. Paper Tiger marks Driver’s eighth Cannes premiere, making him one of the festival’s most recognizable contemporary faces. He previously brought films like The Last Duel, Annette, BlacKkKlansman, and Megalopolis to the French Riviera. However, Driver revealed that the only recent exception came during Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis premiere in 2024, when he stayed seated out of respect following the death of Coppola’s wife, Eleanor Coppola. 

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What makes the confession fascinating is how sharply it contrasts with the confidence he projects onscreen.

Early reactions from Cannes suggest the answer might genuinely be yes. Paper Tiger received some of the strongest reviews of Adam Driver’s recent career, with several critics praising the film’s blend of gritty New York crime storytelling and devastating family tragedy. While reports surrounding the exact standing ovation length remain mixed, the premiere itself generated strong applause and immediate awards speculation. 

The film follows brothers Irwin and Gary Pearl, played by Miles Teller and Adam Driver, whose redevelopment ambitions surrounding Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal spiral into catastrophe after entanglements with the Russian mob. Scarlett Johansson, who was absent from the festival, plays Hester, whose heartbreaking medical diagnosis adds another devastating layer to the story’s emotional collapse. James Gray has openly acknowledged the autobiographical roots behind the screenplay, drawing from memories of his mother’s death from brain cancer and his father’s legal troubles during Gray’s youth in Queens.

Ironically, audiences may now be more curious than ever to watch Adam Driver in Paper Tiger precisely because he still cannot bear to watch himself. Perhaps that discomfort is part of what keeps his performances feeling so raw and human. Cannes audiences clearly noticed it this year.

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What do you think about Adam Driver’s unusual Cannes ritual and the growing buzz surrounding Paper Tiger? Share your thoughts in the comments.