The glitz and glamour of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's reported $50 million wedding in Venice, Italy, may have captivated headlines, but it certainly didn't impress Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron. The 49-year-old didn't mince words, delivering a sharp critique of the Amazon billionaire and his new bride for their star-studded nuptials, drawing a stark contrast between their lavish celebration and the pressing global crises facing humanity.
Theron's unvarnished comments came during the fifth annual Block Party for her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. With a deadpan delivery that quickly turned into biting sarcasm, she quipped, “I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding.” Then, without skipping a beat, she added, "But that's OK because they suck and we're cool," as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
While her initial remarks might have seemed like lighthearted celebrity banter, Theron swiftly steered the conversation towards a much more serious and impassioned critique. She thanked her guests for their presence, acknowledging the grim global reality: “taking the time to be a part of this, especially when the world feels like it’s burning because it is.”
Her speech escalated into a powerful condemnation of what she sees as a global regression. "Here in Los Angeles, in the US and across the globe, we’re moving backwards fast,” Theron asserted. She highlighted specific critical issues: "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. This isn’t just policy, it’s personal.” Her final, expletive-laden summation of her feelings left no doubt about her disgust.
Theron's "Block Party" event itself serves as a direct counterpoint to the opulence she criticized. The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, founded in 2007, is dedicated to advancing the health and safety of young people in Southern Africa, particularly focusing on preventing HIV and combating gender-based violence. The project funds community-based organizations that provide vital resources and support, aiming to create a more equitable future for vulnerable youth. Her passionate speech at an event dedicated to such pressing humanitarian causes underscores the deep chasm she perceives between extreme wealth and urgent societal needs.
Interestingly, Theron wasn't the only public figure subtly, or not so subtly, expressing disapproval of the Bezos-Sánchez spectacle. While A-listers like Tom Brady, Leonardo DiCaprio, and members of the Kardashian family were reportedly celebrating with the newlyweds in Venice, another faction of famous faces seemed to rally around a different figure: Jeff Bezos's ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott.
Scott, 55, who divorced the world's richest man in 2019 after 25 years of marriage, emerged from the split with a substantial $38 billion and a 4% stake in Amazon. Crucially, she has since become a leading philanthropist, giving away billions to various charities with remarkable speed and without demanding public recognition. Her quiet, impactful giving stands in stark contrast to the highly publicized extravagance of the Venetian wedding, perhaps symbolizing a different path for immense wealth.
