The 96th Academy Award Show is here, and all of film’s brightest have hit the red carpet looking their best.
Clocks sprang forward on Sunday and Hollywood moved the start time of the 96th Academy Awards an hour earlier—which means that Oppenheimer’s much-anticipated day in the sun could occur while the sun is actually still shining in Los Angeles. The A-list nominees and presenters arrived at the Dolby Theater, sporting mermaid silhouettes, bold metallics, and stacks of statement jewels—looking to close out the 2024 film awards season in style.
This year’s 900-foot red carpet is a return to tradition after last year’s champagne-colored version fizzled out with viewers. And the iconic carpet wasn’t the only thing making its way back to the Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel returned to host the show for the fourth time and set designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley—who became the first women to design the Oscars stage last year—are back for a sequel.
Thinking Pink: America Ferrera hits the red carpet in an appropriately Barbie pink Versace dress
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While last year’s box office was dominated by ‘Barbenheimer’, it’s Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer that has blown away the awards show competition heading into the Oscars, winning big at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and SAG Awards. Nolan’s film boasted 13 Oscar nominations, followed by Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon, receiving 11 and 10 nods, respectively. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie earned eight nominations, even if the 40-year-old filmmaker was snubbed by Academy voters—and perhaps the patriarchy itself—and failed to receive a Best Director nomination.
And though the winners might be fairly predictable this year, some of tonight’s red carpet looks were full of daring, whimsy—and, yes, more pink. Best Supporting Actress nominee America Ferrera wore custom Atelier Versace—and went through 10 different versions of chainmail to find the perfect pink.
Here are the best-dressed stars at tonight’s Oscars.
Pretty in Pink: Zendaya stands out in an Armani Privé column gown
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Zendaya also stunned in some pink, hitting the red carpet in a shimmery metallic, single-strapped Armani Privé gown.
Oh Baby: Vanessa Hudgens serves up classic glamour in Vera Wang
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Vanessa Hudgens debuted more than just a classic look at the Oscars. The 35-year-old actress accessorized her figure-hugging custom Vera Wang gown with a surprise baby bump. Several other stars also went back to black.
Jaime Lee Curtis, last year’s winner for Best Supporting Actress, arrived in a floor-length, quarter-sleeve Dolce & Gabbana dress. Best Actress nominee Sandra Hüller showed off her décolletage in custom Schiaparelli with Cartier jewels, as did Flamin’ Hot director Eva Longoria (in Tamara Ralph). And 92-year-old Rita Moreno, a Best Supporting Actress winner in 1962, took the classic color to new heights with a dramatic ruffled Badgley Mischka gown and opera-length gloves.
Classic Cuts: Eva Longoria, Jaime Lee Curtis, Sandra Hüller, and Rita Moreno opt for sleek elegance in black
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Barbie star Margot Robbie took a hard pivot away from her character’s signature pink—she had been sporting all award season—and also went dark on the red carpet tonight in Versace.
Revenge Dress: Margot Robbie heads to the Oscars in a surprising black Versace number
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Ariana Grande (in Giambattista Valli) could have floated onto the carpet in a magical bubble wearing a giant pink gown—channeling her upcoming role as Glinda the Good Witch in the 2024 film adaptation of Wicked. Her co-star Cynthia Erivo (in Louis Vuitton) also rose the occasion, dressed in a dragon-like green leather silhouette. Erivo’s stylist reportedly described the look by saying “Imagine if Elphaba flew into the Oscars.”
Defying Gravity: Ariana Grande (in Giambattista Valli) and Cynthia Erivo (in Louis Vuitton) make a statement in ‘Wicked’-coded outfits
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Issa Rae
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Issa Rae (in AMI Paris), who is in three Oscar-nominated films this year, also wore deep green on the red carpet. “I’m not saying I’m a good luck charm,” Rae said, “but I’m wearing green for a reason.”
Metallics were a theme on the carpet for many A-listers. Florence Pugh wore a minty-metallic silver Del Core gown with a structured bodice. Michelle Yeoh matched Rita Moreno’s in a pair of black opera-length gloves in silver Balenciaga. And Charlize Theron graced the night with a sleek silvery Dior look.
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Brooches were the accessory of the night for men. Barbie’s Simu Liu paired his silver brooch with a sleek Fendi suit while last year’s Best Supporting Actor winner Ke Huy Quan opted for a double-breasted burgundy Giorgio Armani suit with his Cartier brooch.
Other men paired down their looks: Bradley Cooper (in Louis Vuitton), Ryan Gosling (in Gucci), Dwyane Johnson (in Dolce & Gabbana), and Robert Downey Junior (in Saint Laurent) all went tie-less.
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But it was Best Actor nominee Colman Domingo who stole the show in terms of men’s looks. Dressed in a custom double-breasted Louis Vuitton suit, plenty of David Yurman jewelry, and to top it all off—a ring that belonged to Bayard Rustin himself.
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Best Actress nominee Emma Stone strode out in a mint peplum Louis Vuitton dress with shell details across the fabric. She paired the oceanic look with a 30-karat diamond necklace.
Hailee Steinfeld (in Elie Saab) glided across the carpet in another whimsical, under-the-sea outfit. Luptia Nyong’o’s similarly mermaid-like gown (Armani) has been sitting in the actresses closet since 2020. She chose now, on the 10-year anniversary of her Oscar win, to debut the look. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor Joy’s gown (Dior) took 3,500 hours to complete. The outfit—which includes an eight-carat diamond necklace—is “inspired by the Botticelli’s The birth of Venus.”
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