Oscars red carpet 2021: Best dressed stars arrive at Academy Awards

An Oscars red carpet unlike any before got underway on Sunday night, with no crowd, socially-distanced rules and fewer cameras amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Carey Mulligan and Zendaya kicked off the glitz and the glamour at the 93rd annual Academy Awards in striking yet equally mesmerizing Valentino Couture cut-out gowns.

Joining them on Hollywood’s biggest night, which took place at Union Station in Los Angeles, were stars Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive and Regina King in custom Louis Vuitton.

The red carpet looked similar to how it did last year except there were far fewer people as there are social distancing restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 170 people attended this year rather than the normal 3,000.

This marks the first time Tinseltown’s finest have assembled in over a year, for a three-hour show that co-producer Steven Soderbergh described as being ‘like a movie.’ 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted the delayed ceremony at the historic Union Station in Los Angeles, California where socially distanced movie stars went mask-free while on-camera or seated in the main show room. 

Built in 1939, the national historic landmark and its main terminal is 161,000 square feet, creating plenty of room for theatrics on Hollywood’s biggest night. 

During normal times, when COVID restrictions haven’t crimped travel, more than 100,000 people a day walk through its halls.

Comparatively the Dolby Theatre, where the glitzy event is usually held, can only seat around 3,300 people which would have created difficulties in putting on an award show amid the pandemic. 

But in the spacious station, believed to be large enough to accommodate social distancing requirements with its soaring main hall featuring windows that are 40-feet high, stars have more room to mingle and maneuver.

Sticking to a ‘No Zoom’ policy unlike other shows that have taken place this awards season, Academy organizers had ‘British hub’ in London at the British Film Institude for UK actors who are unable to make it in person, as well as more hubs around the globe.

For the red carpet at Union Station, Carey, 35, dazzled in a strapless gold Valentino Couture gown, with cut-out detailing along her torso and a statement ball skirt. 

The Promising Young Woman actress hit the red carpet with her husband, Mumford and Sons musician Marcus Mumford.  

Absolute stunner: The Promising Young Woman actress, 35, dazzled in a strapless gold ballgown with cut-out detailing along her torso

What a look: Carey flashed her midriff in the stunning gown, which featured a large cut-out

Go for the gold like Carey Mulligan wearing Valentino

Carey Mulligan may have been channeling a fairytale princess with her 2021 Academy Awards look. The ‘Promising Young Woman’ star hit the red carpet in a stunning two-piece gown from Valentino’s latest couture collection.

In brilliant metallic gold, Carey’s dress features a bandeau top and a full, high-waist skirt for amplified drama – a true, modern iteration of a fairytale dress.

Grab attention in your own gold dress like Carey. Unfortunately, we mere mortals won’t be able to get our hands on a couture number exactly like Carey’s, though you can shop similar styles from our edit below.

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Fashion! The British beauty hit the red carpet with her husband, Mumford and Sons musician Marcus Mumford

Zendaya was an absolute goddess in a bright yellow Valentino Couture gown.

The Euphoria star, 24,  showcased her flat midriff in the strapless, cut-out frock by the design house; the brunette stunner paired the astounding frock with Bvlgari jewerly.

The former Disney actress wore over $6 million in platinum jewelry, including a high jewlry necklace with one cushion-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond (six carats), 18 diamonds (18.18 carats), 693 fancy shape step cut diamonds (49.30 carats), 398 round brilliant-cut diamonds and pavé-set diamonds (61.50 carats), set in platinum.

She also wore a ring featuring one emerald cut, 9.90 carat diamond with two 1.35 carat each baguette diamonds, set in platinum.

Zendaya rounded out her sparkling look with earrings made of 9.4 yellow pear diamonds and two 3.49 carat each pear diamonds, set in platinum. 

Amanda looked like a classic movie star in custom Armani Prive gown; the frock had a v-neckline and a voluminous skirt. 

Regina, 50, wowed in custom Louis Vuitton featuring vertical crystal stripes with voluminous sleeves and a v-neckline.

The dress took 140 hours to make, with over 62,000 sequins and 4,000 crystals; the production of the dress began in January.

Regina styled her brunette hair center parted and sleek with diamond earrings, rings and a bracelet for pops of sparkle.  

Statement: Regina King stunned in a blue Louis Vuitton gown with vertical crystal stripes

All in the details: The dress took 140 hours to make, with over 62,000 sequins and 4,000 crystals

Amazing: Amanda’s custom Armani Prive gown had a v-neckline and a voluminous skirt

Iconic: The star, 35, flashed her cleavage in the low-cut frock, which featured layers of tulle

Glamorous: Maria Bakalova donned a stunning Louis Vuitton gown; the white frock had a plunging neckline and a tulle skirt. The dress features 100 meters of tulle, per the E! red carpet coverage

What a dress! Laura Dern donned a long sleeved gown that had a black torso with a white feathered skirt

Spring chic: Margot Robbie donned a Chanel gray and silver gown featuring delicate floral detailing

Silhouette: Margot’s gown had a delicate black trim with spaghetti straps

What a cheek! Andra Day flashed her derierre in a Vera Want Haute with Tiffany and Co. jewels. She worked with a welder on this dress because it is completely made of metal, according to reports 

Lovebirds: Aaron Sorkin pictured on the red carpet with Paulina Porizkova, who donned a silky gold dress

Good looking duo: Leslie Odom Jr arrived with his wife Nicolette Robinson. Nicolette is wearing a black taffeta ball gown with a leg slit and bow details by Zuhair Murad. The couple welcomed their second child – a baby boy named Able Phineas or ‘Abe’ for short on March 25, 2021. They are parents to three-year-old Lucy

Glitz: Minari director Lee Isaac Chung arrived with his wife Valerie Chung, who looked lovely in a patterned gold gown

Best fashion foot forward! Steven Yeun with wife Joana Pak (in LA at Union Station) and Sacha Baron Cohen with wife Isla Fisher (in Sydney)

Old school Hollywood: Isla exuded classic Hollywood glamour in her black dress with diamond jewels and red lipstick

New haircut: Halle Berry sported a short haircut and a purple strapless gown with a large bow detail in the center and a sheer skirt

Dramatic entry:

Closer look: Halle’s hair featured very short bangs with an angled overall cut

Glamour: Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell looked incredible in a soft green, purple and gold gown with ruffle details all over. She is wearing Gucci

Gorgeous: The director, 35, sported lavender eye shadow for a spring touch

During a year that saw movie theatres closed due to the pandemic, there were eight new films that did manage to impress Academy voters enough to be in contention for Hollywood’s biggest award, the Oscar for Best Picture (last year there were nine nominees in the category.)

Pulling the musical interludes (though not the in memoriam segment) from the three-hour broadcast – and drastically cutting down the time it will take winners to reach the podium – will free up a lot of time in the ceremony. And producers, led by filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, are promising a reinvented telecast.

The Oscars will look more like a movie, Soderbergh has said. The show will be shot in 24 frames-per-second (as opposed to 30), appear more widescreen and the presenters – including Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Harrison Ford, Rita Moreno and Zendaya – are considered “cast members.” The telecast’s first 90 seconds, Soderbergh has claimed, will “announce our intention immediately.” 

Newlyweds: Riz Ahmed and his wife Fatima Farheen Mirza hit the red carpet for their red carpet debut after tying the knot at the end of 2020

So cute: Riz and Fatima met at a New York cafe while he was prepping for his Sound of Metal role

Elegant: Actress Marlee Matlin chose a glittering gown with a cape detail

Low key: The Oscars red carpet was quiet this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The red carpet seen just before the show kicked off

Another angle: The normally buzzing awards show – and the last one before the end of awards season – appeared deserted just before the show began

What a difference a year makes: The socially distance red carpet seen on Sunday afternoon

While blockbusters may be absent this year, there have been a wide range of movies that have caught the attention of Academy voters, including the lavish Mank, Netflix’s ode to the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.

Another strong contender is Minari, an indie drama about Korean immigrants scraping out a living off the land in rural America, written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Steven Yeun.

The eight films in the top category this year are The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

It is the first time that two female directors have ever been nominated in the Best Director category, with Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) both receiving nods. Netflix dominated this year with 36 nominations, including the lead-nominee Mank, David Fincher’s black-and-white drama about Citizen Kane co-writer Herman J. Mankiewicz. The streamer is still pursuing its first best-picture win; this year, its best shot may be Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Stylish: Actress Youn Yuh-jung donned a textured dark blue gown with a black velvet belt; The 73-year-old actress played Soon-ja in the critically acclaimed movie Minari

Handsome: British actor Daniel Kaluuya chose a Bottega Veneta suit with Cartier jewelry

Dapper: Leslie Odom Jr. rocked a gold suit, complete with a matching button-up beneath; Leslie is nominated for two Oscars: Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Night in Miami and Best Original Song for film’s main song Speak Now

But the night’s top prize, best picture, is widely expected to go to Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland, a contemplative character study about an itinerant woman (Frances McDormand) in the American West. Should it be victorious, it will be one of the lowest budget best-picture winners ever. Zhao’s film, populated by nonprofessional actors, was made for less than $5 million. (Her next film, Marvel’s Eternals, has a budget of at least $200 million.)

Zhao is also the frontrunner for best director, a category that has two female filmmakers nominated for the first time. Also nominated is Emerald Fennell for the scathing revenge drama “Promising Young Woman.” Zhao would be just the second woman to win best director in the academy’s 93 years (following Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker”), and the first woman of color.

Only five women have ever been nominated in the category before. 

History is also possible in the acting categories. If the winners from the Screen Actors Guild Awards hold – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’s” Chadwick Boseman for best actor, Viola Davis for best actress; Yuh-Jung Youn (“Minari”) for best supporting actress; and Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) for best supporting actor – it would the first time nonwhite actors swept the acting categories – and a dramatic reversal from recent “OscarsSoWhite” years.

Several of those awards appear to be locks, particularly for the late Boseman, who would become the third actor to ever win a posthumous Academy Award following Peter Finch and Heath Ledger. Taylor Simone Ledward, Boseman´s widow, has often accepted previous honors on his behalf.

If there’s one less certain category, it’s best actress. Davis, who has won previously for her performance in “Fences,” is up against Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) and two-time winner McDormand. Prognosticators call it a three-way toss up.

Sleek: Tiara Thomas and Diane Warren both chose white suits for the awards show, with Tiara opting for a racy version while Diane opted for a sparkling element 

Suited and booted: Lil Rel Howery arrives at the Oscars  in a velvet black blazer with matching shirt and bow tie

Stylish: The 41-year-old Bad Trip actor flashes a semi peace sign as she wore large sunglasses

An official spokesperson called this year’s event ‘an Oscars like none other, while prioritizing the public health and safety of all those who will participate.’

The Academy and ABC will certainly be hoping that their ambitious plans will drum up more excitement than they have elsewhere during a dismal award seasons, after the virtual Golden Globes plunged to 6.9 million viewers this year – a 64 percent drop from 2020.

Ready to roll: Paul Raci, left, in a black suit and Liz Hanley Raci in a teal gown

93RD ACADEMY AWARDS WINNERS

Best Picture

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated

 

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman

Frances McDormand – Nomadland

Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman – The Father

Amanda Seyfried – Mank

Youn Yuh-jung – Minari  

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father

Best Music (Original Score)

Da 5 Bloods

Mank

Minari

News of the World

Soul

 

Best Animated Short Film

Burrow

Genius Loci

If Anything Happens I Love You – WINNER

Opera

Yes-People

 

Best Live Action Short Film

Feeling Through

The Letter Room

The Present

Two Distant Strangers

White Eye

 

Best International Feature Film

Another Round – WINNER

Better Days

Collective

The Man Who Sold His Skin

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Best Sound: Greyhound – a war film starring Tom Hanks – is up for the gong 

Best Sound

Greyhound

Mank

News of the World

Soul

Sound of Metal  – WINNER

 

Best Cinematography

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank – WINNER

News of the World

Nomadland

The Trial of the Chicago 7  

 

Best Music (Original Song)

Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah

Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest

Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead

Speak Now – One Night in Miami…

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award

 Best Director  

Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round

David Fincher – Mank

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

Chloé Zhao – Nomadland – WINNER

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins – The Father

Gary Oldman – Mank

Steven Yeun – Minari 

 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER

Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…

Paul Raci – Sound of Metal

Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah

 

Best Animated Feature Film

Onward

Over the Moon

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Soul – WINNER

Wolfwalkers

Best Animated Feature Film:  A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated

Best Costume Design

Emma

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER

Mank

Mulan

Pinnochio

 

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

The Father – WINNER

Nomadland

One Night in Miami…

The White Tiger

 

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman – WINNER

Shaka King and Will Berson – Judas and the Black Messiah

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

Darius Marder and Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal

 Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

 

Best Documentary Feature

Collective

Crip Camp

The Mole Agent

My Octopus Teacher – WINNER

Time

Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong

Best Documentary Short Subject

Colette – WINNER

A Concerto Is a Conversation

Do Not Split

Hunger Ward

A Love Song for Latasha

 

Best Film Editing

The Father

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

Best Production Design

The Father

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank – WINNER

News of the World

Tenet

 

Best Visual Effects

Love and Monsters

The Midnight Sky

Mulan

The One and Only Ivan

Tenet – WINNER

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Emma

Hillbilly Elegy

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER

Mank

Pinocchio

 

 

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