The best actress winner was a red carpet triumph in her blood red and rose pink gown, the colours bringing an emotional warmth and a singularity that stood out among the familiar choices of black or gold • Oscars 2026 red carpet – in pictures • Oscar winners 2026: the full list There are two ways to win at the Oscars: go home with a statuette, or be crowned on the red carpet. Jessie Buckley did the double. Buckley’s best actress award seemed pretty much in the bag by the time the night rolled around, and she pulled off a red carpet triumph to put the cherry on top of a stellar award season. In her acceptance speech, she said her role as a grieving mother “cracked a kind of tenderness” in her. Buckley’s Chanel gown, blood red satin-backed leather and rose pink chiffon, chimed with that message. The colours brought an emotional warmth and a singularity that stood out among the familiar choices of flattering black, or glamorous gold. The silhouette put the focus on her face rather than her body, the wide crimson neckline was a visual echo of her broad lipsticked smile. There was a smart nod to Oscar history, too: the juxtaposition of a shawl-wrapped top with a waisted, full gown was in part inspired by an Edith Head gown worn by Grace Kelly to the 1955 ceremony. The reach of the Oscars is an opportunity for actors to embed themselves in the culture, telling a huge audience who they are and what they are about, and Buckley did just that. Continue reading...