8 Celebs Who Took Method Dressing To The Next Level While Promoting Movies

While celebrity fashion has always been eye-catching, method dressing is a styling technique that can elevate an actor's wardrobe, as represented by the best-dressed stars of 2024. This form of styling sees actors taking fashion inspiration from their film projects or on-screen counterparts, wearing themed looks for press tour events and red-carpet appearances. Though the term was seemingly coined by Vogue writer André Wheeler in 2023, the phenomenon has existed since at least the '90s, with Madonna adopting the practice during her stint as a movie star.

Method dressing started gaining traction again in the 2010s, with Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning channeling their "Maleficent" characters for their movie's 2014 press tour. Zendaya and her long-time stylist Law Roach are largely credited with popularizing the styling technique, with the former Disney star making headlines with her themed press outfits for "The Great Showman" and "Spiderman: Homecoming" in 2017. Method dressing has only risen in popularity in recent years, with press tour fashion continually turning heads, but some Hollywood figures manage to pull off the technique better than others.

Lupita Nyong'o, most known for her work in films like "Black Panther" and Jordan Peele's "Us," experimented with method dressing back in 2017 for "Queen of Katwe." The Uganda-set movie follows Phiona, a 10-year-old chess prodigy played by Madina Nalwanga, who faces hardships living in the neighborhood of Katwe. Nyong'o plays Harriet, Phiona's mother, with the Mexican-Kenyan actor channeling the film's cultural setting by incorporating African-inspired headdresses and fabrics into her press tour looks. 

"We were inspired by Lupita's heritage and of course the story of 'Queen of Katwe' for this tour," celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger shared with PopSugar. "We have been waiting for the right opportunity to embrace African designers and African-inspired looks. This was a wonderful moment to celebrate that." A standout look from Nyong'o came from the Toronto International Film Festival, with the movie star wearing a custom yellow-and-blue gown from Carolina Herrera paired with a matching headwrap. "It was directly inspired by some fabric I'd brought home from Africa last July when I went to go visit Kenya with Lupita," Erlanger explained. "The colors were fantastic, and the print was so beautiful." 

We're also big fans of the eye-catching ensemble that Nyong'o wore during the BFI London Film Festival screening of "Queen of Katwe," with the actor opting for a colorful bodice-style top, matching headpiece, and pair of light-blue, high-waisted pants. Nyong'o's stylistic ode to Uganda, Kenya, and other African countries are prime examples of a top-tier method dresser.

Elle Fanning had the most iconic looks promoting "A Complete Unknown," taking inspiration from the retro Bob Dylan biopic. Still, the actor wowed us with her method dressing as far back as 2014. The Georgia-born star wore fairytale-inspired ensembles during the press tours for "Maleficent" and "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," really stepping up her style game for the 2019 sequel. Reprising her role as Aurora, the Hollywood figure channeled whimsically elegant princess vibes in her red-carpet wardrobe for the film's second installment.

"I kind of get inspired by the character that I'm playing in my film," Fanning told InStyle in 2015. "When I did 'Maleficent,' I was very princessy on the red carpet. I wore a lot of big kind-of gowns and it was very girly." In this way, it's no surprise that the movie star wore one of our favorite looks to the London premiere of "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," donning a mint green gown from Armani Privé. The garment featured a full skirt and long-sleeved mesh top, with ruffle detailing along the arms, layered over a sparkly strapless bodice. 

Fanning also turned heads during the Hollywood premiere wearing a custom Gucci gown. The flowy, floor-length piece was accented with dusty-colored flowers and styled with gloves that gave the illusion of dripping blood. "In Sleeping Beauty, she pricks her finger, and there's blood involved," Fanning told ET. "[Gucci] created this amazing design ... and it's just a work of art."

Halle Bailey is another live-action Disney star who practiced method dressing during her red carpet rounds, channeling the ethereal, under-the-sea vibe of "The Little Mermaid" in 2023. While her casting as Ariel received a lot of unwarranted scrutiny, the singer deftly channeled her on-screen counterpart in her sartorial choices, wearing shades of blues, shimmery fabrics, and mermaid-shaped gowns throughout the press tour.

"During a time like this, when the movie's coming out in a month, it's like, yeah, you kind of get in the mindset," Bailey said of method dressing when interviewed by Vogue at the 2023 Met Gala, noting that her hair featured a red tint. "[I] try to channel Ariel, the character, in every fashion choice that I have, so, this Met [look] is kind of the kick of it all off." For the annual event, the "Grown-ish" actor wore a halter-top illusion gown from Gucci that featured lace detailing and shimmering sequins. She paired the garment with a massive, ruffled cape trimmed with silver sparkles, which was reminiscent of coral reefs and jellyfish tendrils. 

Bailey similarly stunned at the London premiere of the film, wearing a white Miss Sohee gown that featured a shell-inspired bodice detailed with pleated tulle. The dazzling garment also consisted of a mermaid-silhouetted skirt decorated with sparkly, petal-shaped appliques on the hips and legs. The singer styled the gown with pearl earrings and a beaded headpiece for a look that was both elegant and oceanic.

One of the most prolific instances of method dressing came from Great Gerwig's "Barbie," with lead actor Margot Robbie famously taking style inspiration from the titular fashion doll. While some of us looked for subtle style ways to take on the Barbie obsession, Robbie was fully invested, wearing pink ensembles referencing iconic Barbie outfits. "We're finding Barbie references from decades past and just doing it really for the big Barbie fans out there, people who are actually collecting those Barbies. We're hoping to get them excited," she told People at the LA premiere. "We're pairing Barbie references with great designers."

We saw a referential look from Robbie during a "Barbie" press conference held in Seoul, South Korea, with the "I, Tonya" star wearing a Moschino rendition of a hot pink, three-piece outfit worn by the Sparkling Pink Barbie from 1964. The monochromatic ensemble consisted of a mini-skirt, a cardigan-style blazer, and a cropped top, each dotted with sparkly embellishments.

While we loved Robbie's array of pink outfits, one of our favorite looks was the black gown she sported at the LA movie premiere. The dazzling Schiaparelli dress was a recreation of the outfit worn by Solo in the Spotlight Barbie from 1960, featuring a strapless neckline and sparkly sequins. One of the most notable elements of the garment is its hemline, which features puffs of tulle flaring out horizontally. Robbie rounded out the ensemble with long black gloves, a collared diamond necklace, and a pink handkerchief.

Zendaya's style transformation is jaw dropping, and she's one of the stars most associated with method dressing thanks to her long-time stylist Law Roach. In this way, all of her recent press tours have been dazzling, with her old-money and tennis-themed looks for "Challengers" being a real departure from her typical style. Still, Zendaya's ensembles surrounding the release of "Dune: Part Two" have been some of her best yet, with the California native nailing sci-fi chic.

The actor iconically wore a 1995 archival robot suit from Thierry Mugler's 1995 collection for the world premiere, changing into a sleek black dress later on in the event. Then, for the New York City premiere, Zendaya posed in a white, long-sleeved gown from French designer Stéphane Rolland. The garment featured a unique cutout from the chest down to the navel, with the detail splitting between the hips to line each thigh. The futuristic vibe was continued with the gold 3D embellishments along the gown's hem, which were reminiscent of mushroom growths.

Another standout look came from the Mexico City premiere, with Zendaya donning a custom ensemble from Bottega Veneta. The top featured an ultra-cropped hemline, exposing some under-boob, coupled with oversized long sleeves and a wide turtleneck. It was paired with a matching brown skirt with a textured midriff made of leather and a high slit. As always, Zendaya managed to purposefully balance her sense of fashion with the unique vibes of her film project.

We've seen Jenna Ortega be a goth glam queen on the red carpet surrounding the release of Season 1 of "Wednesday," with the actor manifesting similar energy for the press tour of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." The dark comedy sequel sees the Deetz family returning to Winter River, with Ortega playing Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). The California native wore plenty of dark colors and stripes, channeling the aesthetic of the dark comedy sequel, but she also had some super referential looks that took her press tour wardrobe to the next level.

A great example comes from a paparazzi sighting in August 2024, which saw the "Scream" star wearing a custom Thom Browne outfit inspired by Lydia Deetz's school uniform from the original "Beetlejuice." The look consisted of a pleated, knee-length skirt in green and blue, a navy blazer, and a cropped, collared shirt. In addition to a heeled rendition of wingtip Mary Janes and browline sunglasses, she accessorized the outfit with a bag reading "The Handbag For The Recently Deceased," another movie reference.

Still, the chiffon piece that Ortega wore at the Venice Film Festival is one of our favorite press tour looks from the actor. The Dior gown was another reference to Lydia Deetz's wardrobe, as it was styled after the red wedding dress from the first movie. Featuring a ruffled, heart-shaped bodice and a full skirt, the scarlet look combined just the right amount of "Beetlejuice" energy with high-fashion.

The "Wicked" press tour marked another major movie-centered moment in pop culture, with leading actors Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande playing into the hype with character-inspired method dressing. Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the Broadway retelling, channeled a darker aesthetic with lots of green and black. "Green is my favorite color," Erivo told the Los Angeles Times. "I've had quite a bit of green beforehand and then when ['Wicked'] happened it was just an excuse to get a little bit more."

The Broadway performer stayed in character when attending the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, wearing an emerald satin gown from Louis Vuitton. The garment featured a strapless sweetheart neckline and a peplum-like gathering at each hip. "The shape and structure of the dress gives a throwback to the classic Parisian style, which felt appropriate given where we are," Erivo told Vogue, noting that she and stylist Jason Bolden were inspired by Dominique Deveraux from the classic drama series "Dynasty."

Another Elphaba-inspired look came from The Red Sea International Film Festival, with Erivo wearing a dazzling Carolina Herrera dress to the event. The column gown featured embellishments laid within a diamond pattern, paired with a voluminous, off-the-shoulder cape in the same shade of green. As Erivo was featured on the list of chicest celebrity manicures of 2024, it's no surprise that the look was accessorized with an eye-catching nail design featuring swirly shades of blue, green, and gold.

Alongside Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande also took method dressing to the next level during the "Wicked" press tour. Appearing in the film as Glinda the Good, the star sported a mixture of classic silhouettes, girly detailing, and lots of pink in her red carpet ensembles, working with stylist Mimi Cuttrell to take inspiration from previous iterations of Glinda. "Cynthia and I have really loved to shop in character," Grande told Vogue. "I just wanted to live in the DNA and mindset of the character. Now I love the color pink and it feels like part of me."

Grande put a ballet twist on Glinda's energy during an Australian photocall, posing in a custom skirt-and-top combo from Bode. The ensemble consisted of a pleated, shin-length skirt that featured ruching along the waistline and a strapless, cropped top decorated with three pink bows. She styled the look with a slicked-back bun and cream-colored, pointed-toed heels.

One of our all-time favorite "Wicked" looks was worn at the Australian premiere, with Grande donning a custom Vivienne Westwood gown inspired by Billie Burke's Glinda in the 1939 "The Wizard of Oz." The sweeping ball gown featured firework-like embellishments on the bodice, exaggerated puff sleeves around the shoulders, and a tulle skirt with interment ruching. While the "Wicked" press tour may have seen a lot of pink and green, it only goes to show that Grande and Erivo were fully committed to method dressing.