DUBAI: US Iraqi actress Alia Shawkat hit the red carpet at the Miu Miu Women"s Tales dinner during the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle Shawkat was joined at the event by the likes of US singer Olivia Rodrigo, British actor Harris Dickinson, US actress Jasmin Savoy, British actor Joe Allwyn and more. She showed off a midnight blue ensemble consisting off a shirt and flared, knee-length skirt. The actress — who first appeared on camera in 1999, when she was 10 years old — rose to fame at a time when Hollywood was much less receptive to non-white identities. “It’s interesting, because when I started acting, I always had to say I was half-whatever the role was. I would say I was half-Spanish, or half-French, just trying to blend in. I was always seen as ‘too ethnic’ when I was young,” Shawkat previously told Arab News. “Now my ethnicity is a strength, because the conversation is shifting. It’s funny to watch actors actually talk about where they’re coming from, or playing roles that they’re actually connected to, when I grew up having to basically hide it.” Shawkat firmly believes that there is more work to be done than simply casting more diverse actors. “Obviously, representation is very important, but I think also changing the stories themselves is key. Stories are very important, obviously — that"s why we do all of this, right? Changing stories, changing ideas, of how people view Middle Easterners in general is very important,” Shawkat said. “The Middle East has got a really bad rap for a long time. I hope to always make things that are showing more truth behind the Middle East. I’m trying to be a part of that as much as possible and working more with Arabs in general. I want to go into the Middle East more.” Meanwhile, British Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney was spotted in Venice ahead of the premiere of her husband George Clooney’s new film “Wolfs.” The action comedy, pitting one professional "lone wolf" fixer against another, is one of the highlights of the 10-day festival, where it is playing out of competition on the glamorous Lido. Amal Clooney showed off a custom Bach Mai look and Cartier jewelry at an event hosted by the French jewelry label. Dubai-based reality TV star and influencer Farhana Bodi attended the "Battlefield" ("Campo Di Battaglia") red carpet at the festival on Saturday in a look by designer Nali Barzani.