From Brothel Curtains to Darth Vader Cosplay: Most Meme-Inspiring Guests at Oscars

While some lamented that their favourite actors and actresses had lost the chance to snatch this year’s Oscars or lambasted Brad Pitt for his joke about John Bolton in his acceptance speech, others had fun roasting celebrities’ outfits on social media. Even those guests who left the ceremony with awards and praise could not avoid the Twitter fashion police.

This includes Laura Dern, whose part in Marriage Story was singled out for the Best Supporting Actress award. The bejewelled black bodice on her soft pink dress stood before the social media fashion court and was found guilty of resembling “brothel curtains”.

​Lily Aldridge’s white gown also led some to think of DIY attire, using whatever was at hand.

​Probably more unwanted allusions than any other guest’s garments were provoked by Kristen Wiig’s red gown. It made some think of lasagne, lobsters, or car-washing brushes.

​Natalie Portman and her statement cape with embroidered female directors’ names in a year when no woman was nominated for Best Director had a different effect. It gave some a medieval feel and prompted references to Princess Padma’s unfortunate husband’s attire in The Phantom Menace.

​Singer Idina Menzel also generated movie allusions as she bore a resemblance to the cartoonish Princess Jasmine.

​Sandra Oh’s dress by Ellie Saab with puffy sleeves also sparked debate online and numerous references from champagne and soufflé to Friends protagonist Rachel Green’s buffoonish pink dress.

​The men did not fail the scoffers either, as – strangely enough – Elton John showed up in what some dubbed a Joker costume, although he won a statuette for I'm Gonna Love Me Again in Rocketman.

​But, probably, Janelle Monae, who performed at the Oscars, took the award for having the most debated dress at the ceremony. It was given many names, from the heroic “Electric Lady” and Anime Space Princess to the mocking Hershey’s Kiss. It looked like dipping sparkles and prompted some to suggest: give her a sword.

​Some immediately spotted the homage to Prince at the Oscars in 1985.

​Her stage costume with a flower cape also stirred allusions, but to a more recent movie – the horror flick Midsommar.

​The 92nd Academy Awards Ceremony was held last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, gathering the crème de la crème of the film industry. The most surprising triumph turned out to be the Korean movie Parasite, which landed four awards, including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature.

For a second year in a row, the ceremony did not have a host, following a 2019 scandal when then-confirmed host Kevin Hart found himself in hot water over jokes that he made about the LGBT community in the past and was forced to step down.