US rapper Snoop Dogg, Salma Hayek to carry Olympics torch ahead of opening ceremony in Paris

American rapper Snoop Dogg and actor Salma Hayek are among the stars set to carry the Olympic torch as the Games kick off in Paris.
Hayek, linked to France through her husband François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering and CAA owner Artemis, is currently carrying the torch from the Yvelines suburb to Versailles Palace with Didier Deschamps, France’s national soccer team trainer, and singer Patrick Bruel.

Snoop Dogg will carry the torch on July 26, the day of the opening ceremony, in Saint-Denis, where the Olympics Village is located.
Additionally, Dogg will serve as a special correspondent for NBC during the Games. He will carry the torch alongside French model-turned-actor Laetitia Casta and rapper MC Solaar.

Hayek and Snoop Dogg are among the many big names participating in the Olympics festivities. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion are also in Paris and are reportedly set to perform at the event.

More about the ceremony

For the first time in history, the opening ceremony will take place outside of a stadium, along the Seine River that runs through Paris. The nautical spectacle will feature 85 boats carrying athletes from each Olympic delegation on a four-mile parade, starting from Pont d’Austerlitz and ending at the Eiffel Tower. The event will highlight the city's historical landmarks and bring together 3,500 actors, dancers, and musical performers. Theater director Thomas Jolly, renowned for his hit rock-opera musical ‘Starmania,’ has designed the show.

The Olympic torch has traversed France since starting its journey in May, carried by a range of notable figures including former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, Formula One driver Charles Leclerc, and actress Halle Berry. Snoop Dogg, whose full name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., was born in Los Angeles, which will host the 2028 Games.

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