Best To Worst Dressed At The 2020 Oscars
The 92nd Academy Awards rolled out the red carpet at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre on Sunday, February 9, 2020, and the show did not disappoint. Although the lead-up to the ceremony was steeped in controversy — from the all-male Best Director category to what the Daily Beast described as "the aggravating domination of Joker" — the show itself ended up being full of bright spots.
Just some of the highlights included Janelle Monáe's high-octane opening number (even if she did have what Cosmopolitan called "the most relatable" wardrobe malfunction, which she handled like a pro), Brad Pitt kicking off the string of awards by taking home his first-ever golden man for Best Supporting Actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Parasite making Hollywood history as the first-ever foreign-language film to win Best Picture.
Also notable was the endless parade of A-listers braving the rain and trying their best in the sartorial department. The biggest trend of the night was definitely sustainability while pink dominated in terms of color. Here are all of the best- and worst-dressed stars we saw at the 2020 Oscars.
Scarlett Johansson showed off her ink on the Oscars red carpet
Scarlett Johansson was nominated for not one but two Oscars this year, as Marriage Story landed her a Best Actress nom while Jojo Rabbit snagged her a Best Supporting Actress nod. According to CNN, the last time such a feat was accomplished was over a decade ago when Cate Blanchett was nominated for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and I'm Not There in 2008. Just like Blanchett, Johansson went home without a trophy for either category, but that didn't mean she wasn't dressed like a winner.
The 35-year-old wowed in a metallic Oscar de la Renta gown (per Page Six) that was certainly worthy of her history-making status as a double nominee. Featuring a bodice made of mesh covered in beautifully draped silver strands and a champagne-colored skirt with a short train, the dress made Johansson glow. Adding to the drama were her sparkling diamond drop earrings, a diamond bracelet, and her massive engagement ring. The gown was also a perfect choice to show off her massive back tattoo, which consists of "a series of roses in honor of her daughter, Rose," as well as a lamb next to the flowers, and "a large owl" on her ribcage that just peeked out over the top of the low-cut back.
Renée Zellweger channeled her inner Judy Garland for the 2020 Oscars
Looks like Renée Zellweger wasn't quite ready to let go of Judy Garland! The Best Actress winner, who transformed into the legend on the big screen for Judy, continued to channel Garland with a stylish nod to old Hollywood glam. As numerous publications similarly predicted, the New York Post stated that the star was "a lock for Best Actress," and not only did she win the award, adding it to the Golden Globe, SAG Award, BAFTA Award and Critics' Choice Awards that she previously hauled in for the role, but she also took home top honors in the fashion department.
Zellweger looked gorgeous in a simple but perfectly tailored gown from Armani Privé. The white frock was timeless but still modern thanks to its asymmetrical neckline — and the all-over beading delivered a mega dose of wow. Asked about her look on the red carpet, the actor told Entertainment Tonight, "It's simple and classic, but not." As for the one piece of jewelry she decided to accessorize with — a show-stopping ring worn on her index finger — she joked, "It's alright, right?" On a more serious note, she added, "It's nice and soft. I won't be hurting anybody or snagging any dresses tonight."
Margot Robbie chose vintage sustainability
One of the celebrities who chose to embrace sustainability on the 2020 Oscars red carpet was Margot Robbie. The Best Supporting Actress nominee forBombshell proved that good fashion can last for decades as she chose to wear a vintage Chanel dress. The extra-dark navy blue gown (which photographed black) was from the Spring/Summer 1994 Haute Couture collection and came complete with an oversized pendant pinned to the sweetheart neckline and two flowy 'sleeves' topped with bow, which were actually completely separate from the dress. Keeping her hair and makeup simple, the Australian actor opted for a red lip and almost no jewels.
As her stylist, Kate Young, told Vogue, they picked the dress months ago. "We discovered this '90s couture gown in Chanel's archive back in December 2019," she revealed, adding, "It's very similar to the short dress that Claudia Schiffer wore on Karl Lagerfeld's SS94 couture runway, but it was made for a client, so it's truly unique. It just felt very Margot — it felt cool."
Natalie Portman's cape had a powerful hidden message for The Academy
While a number of actors made it a point to address the controversy surrounding this year's Best Director category, which featured all-male nominees, presenter Natalie Portman decided to take things one step further. At first glance, her custom Dior Haute Couture dress, which included a black bodysuit and sheer gown with gold embroidering, looked stunning, but there was also a hidden message to discover. The frock was paired with a black cape, which wasn't just a statement-making accessory, it was a statement-making accessory.
Take a closer look and you'll see names embroidered in gold all along the seams. According to Variety, those are names of all of the female directors who were snubbed this year, including "Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim), Alma Har'el (Honey Boy), Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) and Mati Diop (Atlantics)." Asked about the look, Portman explained , "I wanted to recognize the women who were not recognized for their incredible work this year in my [own] subtle way."
Charlize Theron's Oscars theme was classic yet fun
Not only did Charlize Theron have the cutest date of the night (her mom!), but she also had one of the best ensembles on the red carpet! The Best Actress nominee, who completely transformed into Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly for Bombshell, decided to keep things classic yet fun with a black Dior Haute Couture gown that featured a thigh-high slit, dropped shoulder strap, and peplum detail.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the look, Theron's stylist, Leslie Fremar, told People it was all about looking "feminine," "mature," and showing off the actor' natural beauty. "She's so statuesque that we really showcase that instead of hiding it," Fremar explained. "That's why things are form-fitting and emphasize how tall and lean she is." As for that sparkling neck piece, the massive diamond necklace came courtesy of Tiffany & Co. and had Fremar even more excited than the dress. Taking to Instagram before the show, she gushed, "How can something be so beautiful? A night like tonight calls for one-of-a-kind natural diamonds — it's no wonder these precious gems have been synonymous with Hollywood for decades."
Julia Louis-Dreyfus proved age is just a number on the Oscars red carpet
Julia Louis-Dreyfus almost had a major red carpet disaster, as she nearly tripped while posing for photos and only managed to catch herself at the last moment — but her look made us fall for her! The 59-year-old proved that age is just a number, as she dazzled in a dark blue custom Vera Wang number. The gown may have looked simple with its clean silhouette and thin straps, but its fit and tailoring were impeccable. The gorgeous satin material was draped impeccably with the slightest touch of ruching along the neckline. Adding to the drama were oversized diamond studs, a diamond bracelet, and a seriously sparkly statement necklace.
The comedy legend reminisced (via people) about her sartorial choices back in the '90s, which included an intentional departure from the wardrobe of her famous Seinfeld character. "I wouldn't say it [was] a retaliation but it's against the Elaine look, but it was a way of kind of pushing the edge of the envelope, for me, at that time." All these decades later she's still doing just that.
Cynthia Erivo had a lot going on — maybe too much
Like Scarlett Johansson, Cynthia Erivo also snagged two Oscar nominations this year, albeit to much less fanfare. Not only was she recognized with a Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in Harriet, but she also co-wrote and performed "Stand Up," which was nominated for Best Original Song. The British actor, who had just boycotted the BAFTAs due to lack of diversity, walked the Academy Awards red carpet in a unique Atelier Versace dress. Bedazzled with silver Swarovski crystals, the white dress had a lot going on, including mesh panels, an asymmetrical strap running across her neckline, a thigh-high slit, and plenty of volume. The busyness continued on her hands, as nearly each finger was adorned with an oversized Piaget ring.
One noteworthy highlight was her Vincent van Gogh "A Starry Night"-inspired nails, as well as the beauty secret her makeup artist, Terrell Mullin, shared. In order to achieve Erivo's perfect smoky eye, he opted for brown shadow, not black. "Black is too heavy and too hard; it's scary," he told Allure. "Unless you're doing Chicago on broadway, a smoky eye should never be that dark." Game-changer.
The look wasn't exactly a home run, and Erivo went home empty-handed, but she did get to live out a lifelong "dream," (per Entertainment Tonight), which was "to perform on the Oscar stage ... to sing," which she did with her own song.
Janelle Monáe went full Star Wars for the 2020 Oscars
Janelle Monáe always plays by her own rules and this time was no different. The actor and songstress stayed true to herself and opted for a headline-making frock from Ralph Lauren Collection that had people talking... but not always for the right reasons. The silver, long-sleeved number, which came complete with a sparkly hood, took nearly 600 hours to make as it was covered in nearly 170,000 Swarovski crystals — all of which had to be sewn on by hand. All that sparkle meant serious weight and, according to People, the dress ended up being so heavy that four people had to carry the skirt to Monáe's dressing room.
Speaking with another flamboyantly-dressed attendee, actor Billy Porter, Monae said, "Listen, when I know that you were coming — what you did last year, and what you are doing now, I knew that I have to come and I had to show up." (Porter has consistently made waves with his own headline-grabbing award show looks.)
While we appreciate the craftsmanship, the overall look was more Star Wars than Oscars. As the Daily Mail described it, the look was a "mix between Tin Man and Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi". Ouch. The choker necklace and statement rings were beautiful, though, so at least there's that...
The 2020 Oscars were a rare miss for Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Ronan is only 25 years old, but already she's managed to solidify her reputation as a red carpet pro. Over the years, she's landed on countless best-dressed lists. The Telegraph even went as far as to dub her "the best-dressed starlet in Hollywood" following the 2018 Oscars ceremony.
This time around, the Irish beauty, who snagged a Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of Jo March in Little Women, decided to make a statement with her outfit, delivering a subtle nod to sustainability. Her Gucci gown featured a black bodice with a plunging neckline and an oversized peplum detail, which suddenly gave way to a purple skirt. As it turns out, the black material used for this dress was discarded satin that Gucci had left over from creating Ronan's BAFTAs look just one week before.
While we love the idea behind the design, the finished look left us wanting more. The skirt feels mismatched to the top half of the dress, which is much more elegant and suitable for a red carpet of this calibre and, unfortunately, it robbed Ronan of her fashionista crown.
The internet agreed that Kristen Wiig looked like 'a lasagna'
Kristen Wiig sure knows how to bring the laughs (her presentation speech with Maya Rudolph drew plenty of laughs, although not from Billie Eilish), and so did her Valentino Haute Couture dress. The bright red frock, which featured sheer panels on the bust and cascading rows of ruffles on the skirt, was paired with black opera gloves. It was a statement look all around, and it drew plenty of reaction online.
Twitter immediately went into overdrive, trying to find different things to compare it to with lasagna reigning supreme. As one Twitter user joked, sharing a side-by-side snap of Wiig and a slice of lasagna, "I love the inspiration for Kristen Wiig's dress." In addition to the Italian specialty, Wiig was also compared to a toilet brush, a car wash, and "a fish we have yet to discover." Yet another critic quipped, "Kristen Wiig looks like she's auditioning to play Sebastian in the next live action production of The Little Mermaid." Just ouch all around.
This Oscars red carpet look had people saying Sandra Oh no!
Sandra Oh is no stranger to the award show circuit and the parade of red carpets that come along with it. So that's why it was such a surprise to see the multiple Golden Globe, Emmy, and BAFTA-winner show up to the 2020 Oscars in... this. According to E! News, Oh donned a "larger-than-life Elie Saab couture piece" that featured "puffed sleeves" that "were adorned with massive tulle fabric that looked like a bouquet of roses." The Daily Mail was less kind, describing the sleeves as having "absolutely swamped the actress' figure." As for the overall look? The tab thought it was "almost comical." Yikes.
The good news? Oh probably didn't care about the criticism. She scored a viral moment thanks to her co-presenter Ray Romano's decision to drop an f-bomb in the middle of introducing the award for best makeup and hairstyling. She also memorably freaked out when the Korean film Parasite made history by becoming the first foreign language film to ever win for Best Picture.
In other words, anyone hating on Oh's puffy sleeves would do well to follow the advice of this staunch online defender of the Killing Eve star, who summed it up thusly: "LITERALLY SHUTUP ITS SANDRA OH."
Wait, is that Blac Chyna on the Oscars red carpet?
Perhaps the biggest question of Oscars night was why former exotic dancer and Rob Kardashian baby mama Blac Chyna was there. E! News failed to answer the question, but did state that Blac Chyna was "not listed as a presenter and is also not a nominee." If nothing else, the reality star helped nail stylist, Marie Nailz, achieve a height she never thought imaginable. "NEVER STOP GOING FOR YOUR DREAMS," the manicurist declared on Instagram alongside some pics and a video of her handiwork.
But on top of the perplexing fact that she was even in attendance, Chyna's look, although quite in line with her generally risque style, did not wow the critics. Pairing a wide open Dona Matoshi gown with Jimmy Choo shoes, the star left little to the imagination, as she also opted to go braless. Chyna also chose to showcase her extensive tattoo work, which we now know runs from knee to hip, thanks to an extreme slit.
Needless to say, the internet wasn't impressed, and the takes come in hot and fast. Twitter users compared her to everything from Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants to Ivan Ooze from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Of course, speculation over why she was there in the first place ran rampant as well, but one clever commenter may have figure it out, tweeting, "The SEAT FILLERS are arriving." Burn.