Oscars 2025: The best and worst red carpet looks from this year's nominees, from Demi Moore to Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet and Cynthia Erivo aim to make history at this year's Oscars — but first they have to conquer the red carpet.
The 2025 Oscars will be the feather in the cap of a busy awards season. After months of anticipation, the final preparations are underway for the 97th Academy Awards, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brian. The star-studded show will take place Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. EST (4 p.m. PST) from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and broadcast live on ABC and on Hulu for the first time. Canadian viewers can watch this year’s awards ceremony on CTV and available to stream on CTV.ca.
This year’s ceremony will feature appearances by Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Goldie Hawn and Ben Stiller, who have all been confirmed as presenters. Nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are set to perform, as well as Doja Cat, Queen Latifah, RAYE and LISA of the K-pop group Blackpink.
Emilia Pérez leads the pack this year with 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Zoe Saldaña for Best Supporting Actress. Adrien Brody could win his second Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Brutalist, which scored 10 nominations this year, including Best Picture and Best Director. John Chu may have missed out on a nomination for Best Director, but his blockbuster musical Wicked earned 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Erivo for Best Actress and Grande for Best Supporting Actress.
Ahead of this year's ceremony, we're celebrating this year's nominees by revisiting their Oscars red carpet hits and misses.
Demi Moore
Moore has been collecting awards left right and centre this year for her raw performance in The Substance. Although she's been working for more than 40 years in Hollywood, this is her first Oscar nomination and first role that she's earned serious — and much overdue — critical acclaim for.
BEST: Versace in 2010
Moore hit the red carpet of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in a strapless peach coloured gown by Versace. While Moore prefers to wear her signature raven locks down, back in 2010 she wore her hair in a loose updo that showed off her diamond teardrop earrings. She wore the look to present the In Memoriam tribute during the live broadcast.
WORST: Self-designed ensemble in 1989
Moore tried her hand at fashion design for the 61st Academy Awards. The then 26-year-old actress ditched designer threads to create a look on her own out of black spandex bike shorts, a corset and metallic brocade fabric that flowed into a train. It was deemed an "Oscar fright" by news outlets and topped every worst dressed list.
Timothée Chalamet
Chalamet spent more than 5 years preparing for his role as Bob Dylan in James Mangold's biopic A Complete Unknown. If he wins, the 29-year-old will become the youngest Best Actor winner in Oscar history. The Best Actor category is a tough race — could this be Timmy's year?
BEST: Louis Vuitton in 2022
Chalamet is his best when he's breaking free of the status-quo on a red carpet. The Dune actor hit the red carpet of the 94th Annual Academy Awards in a sequinned blazer from Louis Vuitton's Spring 2022 womenswear collection with a pair of slim black trousers and leather boots. Chalamet ditched a shirt and instead wore a Panthère de Cartier necklace and matching rings that featured diamonds, emeralds and onyx.
WORST: Prada in 2020
Chalamet's look at the 2020 Oscars was middling. The Little Women actor's navy zip up blazer and matching trousers were a casual choice for Hollywood's biggest night. The placement of his vintage Cartier brooch added flair to the ensemble but its placement made Chalamet look as though he was part of an expensive boarding school's soccer team.
Zoe Saldaña
Saldaña is favourited to win Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez. Saldaña has won every major award for her work in the musical, which has received mixed reactions from audiences and become embroiled in controversy thanks to unearthed tweets from its lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón.
BEST: Alexis Mabille in 2013
It's hard to pull off a belted dress on the red carpet, but Saldaña aced the look at the 85th Annual Academy Awards. The Guardians of the Galaxy actress looked elegant in a strapless pale grey gown by Alexis Mabille that featured ornate floral detail around the bust and a mermaid train that featured layers of fabric in varying shades of grey.
WORST: Fendi in 2023
Saldaña hit the red carpet of the 2023 Oscars in a couture Fendi pleated slip dress to celebrate her film Avatar: The Way of Water. The look, although beautiful, looked like something you'd wear under your gown. The actress's styling of the dress and minimal makeup did little to tie the look together.
Adrien Brody
Brody's performance in The Brutalist could earn him his second Best Actor Oscar. In 2003, Brody, then 29, became the youngest Best Actor winner in history when he won for his performance in The Pianist. Brody picked up the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award this year, could a second golden statue be in his future?
BEST: Ermenegildo Zegna in 2003
Brody kept it classic in 2003 when he accepted the Best Actor Oscar by planting a kiss on Halle Berry. The look, which featured a faint pinstripe detail and brocade satin tie, helped launch the actor's relationship with the brand. He went on to appear in the designer's 2003 spring and summer fashion campaign.
WORST: Dolce & Gabbana in 2015
Brody's suit at the 87th Academy Awards was tailored to perfection, but the cream satin jacket clashed with the stark white dress shirt. Although it's not a bad look, it doesn't quite come together and washes the star out.
Cynthia Erivo
If Erivo wins the Oscar for her performance in Wicked, she'll become the youngest person to win the esteemed EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). The 38-year-old hasn't picked up any awards for her performance in the musical, but we love a dark horse in any Oscar category.
BEST: Louis Vuitton in 2024
Confession: We put this on our worst dressed list last year. However, after careful consideration, we'd like to formally issue an apology to this striking leather look with ruffled train. It was the kick-off to an elaborate press tour to promote the film and showcased Erivo's avant-garde sense of style.
WORST: Louis Vuitton in 2022
Erivo's Louis Vuitton ensemble at the 94th Annual Academy Awards was an odd blend of business casual with red carpet attire. Why the look was edgy and menswear-inspired, it read too casual for the Oscars red carpet.
Colman Domingo
Domingo's career is on fire. The Sing Sing star earned a Best Actor nomination for his performance a year after he earned his first Oscar nomination for his work in the film Rustin. Although he isn't favourited to win, he could pull off an Oscar night upset — and we'd love to see it.
BEST: Louis Vuitton in 2024
One thing's for certain: Domingo never disappoints on a red carpet. The actor has quickly become one to watch on any and every red carpet for his ability to take fashion swings and make them look effortless. In 2024, Domingo hit the red carpet in a custom Louis Vuitton suit that featured a western-inspired twist and plenty of personality thanks to its flared pants and David Yurman accessories.
WORST: Versace in 2021
This bright Barbie-core ensemble was ahead of its time. Domingo's look at the 93rd Annual Academy Awards in an alarmingly neon pink sequinned three piece suit. Although it definitely had style, it's not our favourite look Domingo has ever brought to the red carpet.
Felicity Jones
Jones earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role alongside Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. The British actor was first nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Actress for the film The Theory of Everything. Although Jones missed out on the award that year her co-star, Eddie Redmayne, picked up the Oscar for his performance as Stephen Hawking.
BEST: Alexander McQueen in 2015
Jones's grey Alexander McQueen gown featured an elaborate bodice that featured pearls and 3D floral embroidery. The regal look featured a pleated satin ballgown skirt that balanced out the detail of the bodice for a regal ensemble befitting her first Oscar experience.
WORST: Christian Dior in 2017
Jones's tea-length Christian Dior dress at the 89th Annual Academy Awards was delicate and feminine, but didn't quite capture the spotlight of the red carpet. The nude colour and minimal styling made the fairy tale-inspired look feel incomplete. Perhaps a different colour dress or different accessories would have pulled everything together.
