A sense of normalcy is being tested with the return of the red carpet in London. While the 2021 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) is usually a dazzling affair at the Royal Albert Hall, a scaled-back red carpet event this year was indeed a sight for sore eyes after 13 months inside. Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw stepped onto the carpet wearing an intricate sequin dress, courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Styled by Leith Clark, the design was pulled from Nicolas Ghesquière’s Pre-Fall 2020 collection. As if the actress had just been transported via time capsule from the roaring 20s, the pencil-skirt dress and scalloped bust was embellished with sequins and an elegant sheer panel formed the neckline. The metallic ensemble was finished with simple block heels and jewelry supplied by Messika Paris.
Makeup was realized by none other than Alex Babsky who opted for minimal coverage foundation and deep berry lip. Paul Edmond was the master behind the hair and channeled the aforementioned era for a modern take on finger waves.
Mbatha-Raw joined fellow actor (and Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend) Tom Hiddleston to present the award for Outstanding British Film. In 2015 the actress was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award. Since then the 37-year-old has appeared in films such as Motherless Brooklyn and Misbehavior.
In a past interview with GRAZIA, the actress reflected on her role as Hannah – a young employee who is sexually assaulted by the news anchor – in Apple TV’s mega-hit The Morning Show.
“I thought [the script] was incredibly powerful. It gave me chills and it was daunting, but it was a responsibility and something that I felt I had to do,” she said of the role. “Even though it’s a TV show, these issues are very real and there’s a real potential for healing when you get to see those stories. If you’ve been through something like that, you get to see something outside of yourself and maybe have a perspective on it that allows you to talk about it with somebody or digest it in a certain way.”
Mbatha-Raw will now star in the Marvel television series, Loki, which will make its debut on Disney+ on June 11, 2021.
