James Packer dating jetsetting US model Renee Blythewood

With so many Hollywood stars drawing the limelight at Cannes last week, Aussie billionaire James Packer’s latest beautiful companion almost slipped by unnoticed, writes Annette Sharp.

With so many Hollywood film stars drawing the limelight at the 77th French Film Festival in Cannes last week, Aussie billionaire James Packer’s latest beautiful companion almost slipped by unnoticed.

Packer, who is chasing the sun to Europe on his annual Mediterranean voyage, chose the most glamorous event on the French film industry calendar to unveil his new girlfriend, US model Renee Blythewood.

While the couple managed to evade photographers at a series of dinners, Blythewood posted photographs of herself — dressed expensively in black Valentino evening gown and elbow-length gloves — posing on the deck of Packer’s $250m superyacht IJE.

Packer’s pleasure craft has been moored off Antibes, France, for the past week after departing Port Vell in Barcelona, Spain, on May 9.

Packer was sighted earlier in the week at a dinner in honour of film director Oliver Stone who was launching his latest documentary, Lula!, at Cannes. Making up the party was Packer’s former business partner and enduring friend Brett Ratner.

Renee Blythewood on James Packer’s $250m yacht.

The model and actor in Capri in September last year.

Packer’s romance with Blythewood is said to have started in the dying months of 2023.

Her Instagram account places the well-seasoned traveller in Argentina, where Packer keeps his luxurious polo ranch Ellerstina, in October.

James Packer (centre) with Hollywood director Oliver Stone (left) and his friend and former business partner Brett Ratner in Cannes.

Two months later, in December, Packer denied rumours his relationship with his longtime employee and friend Ben Tilley ended after the billionaire took a shine to one of his mate’s unnamed former girlfriends.

Sources have denied Blythewood was previously involved with Tilley.

The blue-eyed 30-something southerner, who gives her home as Nashville, is no stranger to celebrity.

According to reports, she was previously involved with US television presenter Ryan Seacrest in 2015.

She has a 16-year-old son, Levi, from a former relationship with a photographer.

Blythewood in Argentina in October.

Blythewood is a well-seasoned traveller.

Described in a 2017 interview as a “model and jetsetter”, Blythewood, then using the name Blythewood-Hall, has been modelling since age 10, later finding acting work with Disney and Nickelodeon.

“I started modelling at age 10 in entertainment and fashion. I’ve always loved acting, I started when I was a kid and had roles on Disney and Nickelodeon, I loved it,” she previously told a fashion website.

She also worked at one time as a preschool teacher but more recently identified as a philanthropist.

Blythewood’s social media sites suggest affiliations with Global Volunteers, an international not-for-profit which mobilises volunteers and offers “an experience of a lifetime”, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation which raises funds for cancer research, and Rising Academies which supports schools in Africa.

Of a stint helping to rehabilitate an abandoned school for Ukranian women and child refugees she has said: “I didn’t know what strength, courage and bravery were until I met the people of Ukraine.”

Sources for Packer could not be reached for comment.

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