Hey Melissa, congrats on your Oscar, but this drapery belongs on the living room curtains--of your grandma's house
When it comes to the Academy Awards, the ultra white-hot impact red carpet photographs have a shelf life of years, if not decades. One false fashion move can follow you forever, and we’re afraid Melissa Leo made it.
The best supporting actress winner has actually come up in our estimation for breaking the mold during the highly political awards season campaigning. Let’s not forget no one had really heard of her until a few years ago and her role in “Frozen River,” for which she was also nominated. Despite her many TV parts dating back to 1985—she was also a player on the highly regarded “Homicide: Life on the Streets” in the mid 90s–Leo was kind of a blank slate, personality and image-wise, until a few months ago.
She took out her own “for your consideration” ads in the trades, which breaks the unspoken rules that only a studio or agency does that for a client, and if it rubbed some people the wrong way, it didn’t hurt her when it came to the balloting. Because she was pitch perfect as the grizzly mama momager in “The Fighter.” Congratulations, Melissa! You deserve that Oscar—and you won fair and square.
And then there’s the f-word controversy during her acceptance speech, when she used the expletive in referring to two years ago when she lost the statuette to Kate Winslet. Come on, people (Nikki Finke) who are acting like this is such a horrifying thing that should get her banned from future work. Okay, maybe it wasn’t the wisest choice, but it seems like Bono got away with saying the f-bomb on national television in a moment of exuberance, so lay off our girl.
But that dress—ugh. Just horrible, from the brocade or crochet or whatever it was made of to the neckline to the sleeves. What was she thinking? What was her stylist thinking, if she had one? Designed by Marc Bouwer, this has got to be the most unattractive Oscar gown in recent memory. This is something you would wear to your great aunt’s 80th birthday party at a Marriott in Topeka, not to the Academy Awards in Hollywood, when you’re a frontrunner for the trophy. Melissa Leo, you’re a lightning rod right now, but more power to you.
And then there’s fellow nominee Jennifer Lawrence, who never had a shot of winning but had the eyes of the world upon her, for the first time. OK, we get that you have a hot body, honey, but that plain red dress just didn’t make the mark. It reminded some of beachwear and truly needed some flourishes to rise to the level of the occasion.
Another lady in red, or orangey-red, songstress Jennifer Hudson is scoring kudos for her svelte after-baby body—and the gown. But to my eyes, her breasts looked weird popping out. The opening should have been narrower to minimize that somewhat strange effect, a la Gwynneth Paltrow’s vertical cleavage slit in her gorgeous silvery, shimmery Calvin Klein. Tasteful, beautiful, stunning. And our favorite gown of the evening. Gwynneth has gone wrong before—think back to the goth look she sported once and her ill-fitting gown when she won the Oscar for “Shakespeare in Love,” but this was a winner.
Others also scored fashion gold. Best actress winner Natalie Portman was a purple swan. She couldn’t have looked more beautiful in her off the shoulder Rodarte gown set off with Tiffany tassel earrings that picked up the lovely hue of her pregnant-perfect gown.
A similar shade was worn by Scarlett Johansson, whose messy hair sort of ruined the effect. The magenta lace dress might have looked better with a sleek ‘do that complemented the high neckline. Mila Kunis in a lavender lace and ruffled number by Elie Saab—although reminiscent of his red see-through gown Halle Berry wore to the Costume Designers Guild Awards earlier in the week, looked lovely and fresh in that feminine hue. Berry also scored again, looking dreamy in her perfectly form fitting, nude crystal-encrusted Marchesa gown.
Oscar dreams are made of this.
For more Oscar photos: http://oscars.movies.yahoo.com/photos/153-2011-red-carpet-report-card?nc#OmgPhoid=1
