Life Imitates Art: Actors Channeling Their Characters In Their Own Outfits
By Lilly Casiraghi
There are dozens of streaming platforms to choose from and countless TV shows and films competing for our attention. Decision fatigue sets in early; often we set out to watch a show but end up spending the whole night endlessly scrolling through choices. Fashion can set shows apart, by making the screen visually appealing. And when fashion transitions from on-screen and into real life, that’s when the fun really begins and gets people (at least those like us, interested in fashion) watching.
Life imitates art. Actors that channel their character's style into their own when promoting that work, have a special place in my heart. Beloved actors bringing beloved characters back to life through their own fashion is quite whimsical and fun. Lately, Jenna Ortega has taken the cake with her outfits during the press tour of Wednesday. Ortega plays the titular role in this Tim Burton/Netflix adaptation of The Addams Family. Wednesday Addams’ style is a mix of gothic chic with schoolgirl elements. She wears monochrome black outfits and black and white ensembles, whether that's polka dots, checkers, or stripes. Her school uniform includes a fresh white collar and black tie. Her outfits are always paired with the iconic tight pigtail braids and a blank Kubrick-esque stare.
Ortega constantly pulls out killer Wednesday-inspired outfits on the red carpet and her press-junket appearances. Her premiere look is probably the most on-the-nose of all ensembles, and arguably the best (or at least most iconic). She chose a Versace crinkled slip dress with a high slit and spider-like, lacey panels. To top it off she adorned a black sheer veil, covering her whole face, on which she donned a black smokey eye moment.
On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ortega brought Wednesday’s signature school-girl collar looks to a new level with a Dolce and Gabbana sheer black dress overtop a black bodysuit. On top were an oversized white collar and black tie and white cuff sleeves. She added an edgy element with a large metallic belt. Ortega is often seen wearing incredibly tall platform heels - and she’s only 5’1”.
For an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, Ortega opted for a sexier take on Wednesday’s gothic looks. She wore a Dion Lee long sleeve asymmetrical dress complete with an ultra-high slit, peekaboo of sheer lace fabric, and underboob cutouts. Christian Louboutin red bottoms and a red lip and nail combo added a pop of color to the look.
For Paris Fashion Week, Ortega opted for another lacey look. She sported a mid-length black floral lace slip dress with black underwear underneath. Paired the dress with the recognizable Valentino platform heels.
And on The Today Show, she put together a combination of menswear and Wednesday’s school uniform style. Again in Dolce and Gabbana, but this time a black suit jacket and pant set, layered over a cropped blazer, which is layered over a white collared shirt and black tie. She feminized with dropped pearl earrings.
Ortega is not the only actor to be sporting looks inspired by on-screen personas; Jodie Comer awes fans on and off screen with her ensembles. She plays a high-end, Russian, hit-woman whose style is second only to her chemistry with British intelligent agent Eve Polastri, played by Sandra Oh. For Villanelle, fashion is extremely important, and she’s not afraid to stand out with her outfits, in fact, I’d say she tries to. Her style is bold, colorful, extravagant and feminine, but she also plays with masculine silhouettes and styles. She appears effortlessly chic and stylish, with an unattainable quality.
Villanelle has become a kind of modern fashion icon, and so Comer has drawn from Villanelle’s style in some of her own red carpet looks. At the 2019 Killing Eve premiere in London, Comer stepped out in a striking couture Giambattista Valli dress. The big white, embroidered flowy dress paired with a gold sequined vest screamed Villanelle. Comer’s sleek white power suit at the 2019 Remarkable Women Awards would 100% be Villanelle approved (she loves a statement suit just as much as she loves a statement dress).
When co-stars embody the essence of their characters through their personal style, it can be all the more playful. Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning do it well. Way back in 2014, at the premiere of the first film, Jolie wore a dramatic black dress that looked almost latex (rubberized leather Atelier Versace gown). In contrast, Fanning wore a light blue, strapless Elie Saab gown with floral emblems. She perfectly captured Princess Aurora’s delicate beauty. The pair brought their characters back to life again for the Premiere of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Jolie wore another stunning black gown. Fanning looked absolutely ethereal in her custom Gucci gown. The muted green silk chiffon off-the-shoulder dress with cascading flowers perfectly captured Aurora’s enchanting nature. She showed up with true Disney fairy-tale imagination with an embroidered gem ‘pricked finger’ (Sleeping Beauty lured by Maleficent to prick her finger on a spinning wheel) and crystal blood drops sliding down her dress. Sleeping beauty lured by Maleficent to prick her finger on a spinning wheel.
Celebrity red-carpet style can often be as intriguing as the works they produce. We love to see what our favorite actors are doing, eating, and wearing. When they blend the world of their character with their own world, it’s like their performance continues. The red carpet is their playground and we get to act as their parents, watching over the joy in their play and creativity, and gaining our own sense of satisfaction and delight from it.
Life imitates art. Actors that channel their character's style into their own when promoting that work, have a special place in my heart. Beloved actors bringing beloved characters back to life through their own fashion is quite whimsical and fun. Lately, Jenna Ortega has taken the cake with her outfits during the press tour of Wednesday. Ortega plays the titular role in this Tim Burton/Netflix adaptation of The Addams Family. Wednesday Addams’ style is a mix of gothic chic with schoolgirl elements. She wears monochrome black outfits and black and white ensembles, whether that's polka dots, checkers, or stripes. Her school uniform includes a fresh white collar and black tie. Her outfits are always paired with the iconic tight pigtail braids and a blank Kubrick-esque stare.
Ortega constantly pulls out killer Wednesday-inspired outfits on the red carpet and her press-junket appearances. Her premiere look is probably the most on-the-nose of all ensembles, and arguably the best (or at least most iconic). She chose a Versace crinkled slip dress with a high slit and spider-like, lacey panels. To top it off she adorned a black sheer veil, covering her whole face, on which she donned a black smokey eye moment.
On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ortega brought Wednesday’s signature school-girl collar looks to a new level with a Dolce and Gabbana sheer black dress overtop a black bodysuit. On top were an oversized white collar and black tie and white cuff sleeves. She added an edgy element with a large metallic belt. Ortega is often seen wearing incredibly tall platform heels - and she’s only 5’1”.
For an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, Ortega opted for a sexier take on Wednesday’s gothic looks. She wore a Dion Lee long sleeve asymmetrical dress complete with an ultra-high slit, peekaboo of sheer lace fabric, and underboob cutouts. Christian Louboutin red bottoms and a red lip and nail combo added a pop of color to the look.
For Paris Fashion Week, Ortega opted for another lacey look. She sported a mid-length black floral lace slip dress with black underwear underneath. Paired the dress with the recognizable Valentino platform heels.
And on The Today Show, she put together a combination of menswear and Wednesday’s school uniform style. Again in Dolce and Gabbana, but this time a black suit jacket and pant set, layered over a cropped blazer, which is layered over a white collared shirt and black tie. She feminized with dropped pearl earrings.
Ortega is not the only actor to be sporting looks inspired by on-screen personas; Jodie Comer awes fans on and off screen with her ensembles. She plays a high-end, Russian, hit-woman whose style is second only to her chemistry with British intelligent agent Eve Polastri, played by Sandra Oh. For Villanelle, fashion is extremely important, and she’s not afraid to stand out with her outfits, in fact, I’d say she tries to. Her style is bold, colorful, extravagant and feminine, but she also plays with masculine silhouettes and styles. She appears effortlessly chic and stylish, with an unattainable quality.
Villanelle has become a kind of modern fashion icon, and so Comer has drawn from Villanelle’s style in some of her own red carpet looks. At the 2019 Killing Eve premiere in London, Comer stepped out in a striking couture Giambattista Valli dress. The big white, embroidered flowy dress paired with a gold sequined vest screamed Villanelle. Comer’s sleek white power suit at the 2019 Remarkable Women Awards would 100% be Villanelle approved (she loves a statement suit just as much as she loves a statement dress).
When co-stars embody the essence of their characters through their personal style, it can be all the more playful. Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning do it well. Way back in 2014, at the premiere of the first film, Jolie wore a dramatic black dress that looked almost latex (rubberized leather Atelier Versace gown). In contrast, Fanning wore a light blue, strapless Elie Saab gown with floral emblems. She perfectly captured Princess Aurora’s delicate beauty. The pair brought their characters back to life again for the Premiere of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Jolie wore another stunning black gown. Fanning looked absolutely ethereal in her custom Gucci gown. The muted green silk chiffon off-the-shoulder dress with cascading flowers perfectly captured Aurora’s enchanting nature. She showed up with true Disney fairy-tale imagination with an embroidered gem ‘pricked finger’ (Sleeping Beauty lured by Maleficent to prick her finger on a spinning wheel) and crystal blood drops sliding down her dress. Sleeping beauty lured by Maleficent to prick her finger on a spinning wheel.
Celebrity red-carpet style can often be as intriguing as the works they produce. We love to see what our favorite actors are doing, eating, and wearing. When they blend the world of their character with their own world, it’s like their performance continues. The red carpet is their playground and we get to act as their parents, watching over the joy in their play and creativity, and gaining our own sense of satisfaction and delight from it.