Cynthia Erivo Honors Hattie McDaniel at the 2025 Oscars With a Dramatic Louis Vuitton Gown, Shines With Gold Nails That Took 5 Hours to Achieve
Cynthia Erivo brought method dressing to the Oscars 2025 red carpet on Sunday in Los Angeles. The “Wicked” star, who will open this year’s Academy Awards alongside Ariana Grande, arrived at the ceremony in a dramatic tribute to her character Elphaba.
Erivo wore a custom Louis Vuitton gown sculpted from green velvet that consisted of a standing flared collar, off-the-shoulder sleeves that defied gravity, and a ball skirt — a look that her stylist Jason Bolden shared on Instagram “is for Hattie McDaniel.” “Hope this dress makes you proud,” Bolden wrote in Instagram Stories, signing the note “Love Jason and Cynthia.”
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Erivo paired the gown with diamond-encrusted earrings, a diamond bracelet, and diamond and emerald rings. She completed her look with a shining golden set of nails that took five hours to achieve and took inspiration from the Oscars statue, according to her nail artist ClawzByDior.
“When I think of the Oscars, I think gold — luxury, boldness and pure elegance,” Erivo’s nail artist ClawzByDior explained to WWD. “That’s exactly what I wanted to channel with this set. I had full creative control, so I really went all in on the opulence, making sure every detail embodied that classic golden glow. The set took about five hours to complete, and every element was carefully crafted to make a statement!”
Each one of Erivo’s gold Oscars nails featured jewelry-like details, from a rectangular watch face to an emerald cross. “Just know that this set is bringing all the golden goddess energy!” ClawzByDior added. “Every detail was designed to shine — literally and figuratively.”
The nail artist, who began working with Erivo in November of 2024, shared that each nail look they’ve collaborated on begins from scratch. “One thing people might not realize is that all of the art on Cynthia’s nails is 100 percent hand-drawn or hand-painted — no stickers, no shortcuts,” ClawzByDior, who used Aquaphor Healing Ointment to prep the cuticles and OPI for Erivo’s look, said. “Every detail is crafted from scratch, which makes each set one of a kind.”
During Erivo’s press tour, she was getting new nail looks “every few days for every big red carpet event,” sitting for four or five hours to achieve them. “When it’s time for a new look, we remove all the nail art/embellishments, and start over with a clean slate — ready for the next masterpiece,” ClawzByDior said.
As for their process of collaboration, it begins with Erivo’s red carpet looks and ClawzByDior builds off of them. “For the ‘Wicked’ press tour, I had full creative control over the nail designs,” ClawzByDior said. “A couple of days before each premiere, Cynthia’s assistant would send me a sneak peek of her red carpet look. From there, I’d grab my iPad and start sketching out nail concepts that would seamlessly complement her outfit. But, no matter how much I plan, the final set always turns out even better than I imagined!”
ClawzByDior also takes inspiration from Cynthia herself — “her energy, her personality, her fashion sense” — “statement jewelry, art pieces, even random fashion details like shoes,” she shared, adding, “And, of course, I tapped into the ‘Wicked’ universe! For her L.A. premiere set, I went full Elphaba mode, playing with different shades of green, metallics and bold embellishments to capture her essence in the movie.”
Last year, Erivo also embraced method dressing for the Oscars, wearing a sculptural green leather gown by Louis Vuitton that featured a plunging neckline and a matching cape with puff sleeves and ruffles, while presenting the awards for Best Original Song and Best Original Score alongside her “Wicked” co-star Grande.
This year, the 97th Academy Awards will feature performances from not only Erivo and Grande but also Queen Latifah, Doja Cat, Blackpink’s Lisa and Raye. Conan O’Brien is hosting the ceremony, honoring the best in cinema from the past year. Notable presenters include Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Oprah Winfrey, Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone and more.
Oscars 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates
Launch Gallery: Oscars 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates
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