Halsey bids big and Colman Domingo hosts Venice amfAR gala

VENICE (AP) — Singer Halsey bid for the top lot at the amfAR Venezia fundraiser Sunday and spoke on the red carpet about how the charitable foundation's work has helped her personally.

Hosted by an impassioned Colman Domingo in a bright green custom Valentino jacket, the event took place at the Arsenale during the Venice Film Festival.

More low key and intimate than it’s Cannes Film Festival counterpart, the event still attracted its share of celebrities including Jude Law, in Venice to promote “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” in which he stars as Putin.

The evening started with champagne, canapés, Italian spritz and negronis on the waterfront terrace as a DJ spun tunes and guests viewed the artwork to be auctioned off later in the evening.

As those attending were seated for a traditional Venetian dinner of Ombrina fish, Paris Jackson performed an acoustic set on stage.

During the dinner there was a live auction of contemporary artworks, jewellery and destination vacations raising $3.4 million.

Director Julian Schnabel, who will present his latest film “In the Hand of Dante” at the festival next week, donated one of his sought-after plate portraits (a portrait of the winning bidder painted on broken dishes.) Introduced on stage by Jude Law, he decided on the spot to offer up two portraits to the two highest bidders raising 500,000 euros ($586,000) for each, one of which went to singer Halsey.

Talking earlier on the red-carpet Halsey revealed how amfAR had helped her in a very personal way:

“I, a couple years ago got diagnosed with two pretty severe autoimmune diseases and amfAR also contributes to autoimmune and cancer research. So the work they do allows people like me with less access than me to get treatment that they really, really need to live the lives that they deserve to live. So, it’s never been closer to home that it is right now.”

Schnabel was also presented with an Award of Inspiration from the charity in recognition of his longstanding commitment to amfAR’s lifesaving research.

The night ended with a high octane performance from pop star Ava Max, who got everyone on their feet dancing and then it was a rush to a sea of water taxis, waiting to whisk the guests off back to their Venice hotels or on to the after-party.

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has raised nearly $950 million in support of its programs.

Kevin Spacey poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, foundation for aids research, gala, at the Arsenale di Venezia, during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Sofia Carson poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, foundation for aids research, gala, at the Arsenale di Venezia, during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, foundation for aids research, gala, at the Arsenale di Venezia, during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Halsey poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, foundation for aids research, gala, at the Arsenale di Venezia, during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Halsey poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR, foundation for aids research, gala, at the Arsenale di Venezia, during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

LONDON (AP) — The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has been barred from entering the U.K., where he was scheduled to perform at the Wireless Festival in July.

It came after government officials condemned Ye's history of antisemitic remarks.

The festival’s organizers confirmed the ban and said the entire three-day festival was being canceled as a result.

Ye’s travel authorization had been blocked on the grounds that the performer’s presence in the U.K. would not be “conducive to the public good," the BBC said, citing the Home Office.

Ye was booked to perform in front of around 150,000 revelers July 10-12 at the open-air festival in London’s Finsbury Park.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

LONDON (AP) — A senior member of the British government said Tuesday that Ye should “absolutely not” play the Wireless Festival as the performer offered to meet members of the U.K.’s Jewish community and show he has changed since provoking outrage with antisemitic statements.

U.K. authorities are considering whether to ban the rapper formerly known as Kanye West from entering Britain, where he is booked to perform in front of around 150,000 revelers July 10-12 at the open-air festival in London’s Finsbury Park.

“His permission to enter the U.K. is under review as we speak," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman, Tom Wells. “All options remain on the table.”

Organizers are under mounting pressure from sponsors and politicians to cancel the gigs by the rapper, who has drawn widespread condemnation for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Last year, he released a song called “Heil Hitler” and advertised a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. The 48-year-old apologized in January with a letter, published as a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. He said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”

Wireless sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo have pulled out of the festival since Ye was announced as the headliner, and Starmer called the booking “deeply concerning.”

In a statement Tuesday, Ye, who changed his name in 2021, said he “would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen.

“I know words aren’t enough — I’ll have to show change through my actions,” he said. “If you’re open, I’m here.”

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the group would be willing to meet with the musician if he pulled out of the festival.

“The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival,” Rosenberg said.

Organizer Festival Republic stood by Ye. In a statement issued Monday, managing director Melvin Benn urged people to offer the performer “forgiveness and hope.”

“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” the statement said.

U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting dismissed the organizers’ statement as “absurd” and said Ye should “absolutely not” perform at Wireless.

Benn acknowledged that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had the power to revoke Ye's visa to come to Britain.

“If she does, she does, and then the issue is over,” he told the BBC on Tuesday.

A representative for Ye didn’t reply to a request for comment.

FILE - Kanye West appears at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Kanye West, who changed his name to Ye in 2021, performs at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 20, 2019. . (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)