Jenna Ortega stepped onto the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards red carpet in a striking Givenchy gown that critics and fans called her boldest look to date, signaling a departure from the gothic styles she has frequently worn while promoting Netflix’s Wednesday.
The 22‑year‑old actress wore a jeweled, barely‑there top paired with a low‑waist black skirt featuring a high slit. The outfit, from Givenchy’s collection by creative director Sarah Burton, included a top described by the house and some observers as a broken‑chandelier or jewel‑draped piece that was delivered to Ortega in a coffin‑like box, according to style journalist Zanna Roberts in People. Ortega, who presented onstage with co‑star Catherine Zeta‑Jones during the ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, was not an Emmy nominee.
Design notes and several red‑carpet commentators linked Ortega’s look to a moment in the 1992 film Death Becomes Her: the actress’s jewel‑only top and sarong‑style silhouette echoed Isabella Rossellini’s Lisle von Rhuman, a character noted for lavish, revealing costume moments. Fashion writers also noted precedents for the so‑called “naked dress” on other icons, drawing comparisons to past red‑carpet moments by Jennifer Lopez, Marilyn Monroe, Kate Moss and Cher.
Social media reactions were immediate. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, praised Ortega’s outfit and called her one of the best‑dressed at the ceremony, with several users describing the top as ‘‘a serve’’ and ‘‘jewels fit for a goth queen.’’ Critics and fashion outlets framed the appearance as part of a broader evolution in Ortega’s public wardrobe.
Ortega rose to prominence in part on the strength of Wednesday, the Tim Burton‑created Addams Family spinoff in which her character’s wardrobe leans heavily to all‑black, preppy gothic elements and high collars. As her profile has increased, she has collaborated with a range of designers and couture houses. In the weeks and months leading up to the Emmys she appeared in several high‑profile looks while promoting the second season of Wednesday, including a semi‑transparent, corseted Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood gown at a Paris photo call, a snakeskin gown from Ashi Studio at a London premiere and a remake of John Galliano’s newspaper‑print dress.
British Vogue has traced Ortega’s recent wardrobe changes, calling her a ‘‘style icon in the making’’ while noting a clear shift from the more conservative pieces she wore early in her career. Ortega’s measured pivot toward revealing and couture designs follows a common trajectory for young actors expanding their fashion repertoire as their careers mature.
At the Emmys, Ortega joined fellow presenters to announce the winner of the Best Supporting Actress category, which went to Katherine LaNasa for The Pitt. The actress’s platform heels and stage presence drew additional attention; wardrobe and presentation choices for actors who are not nominees often serve both promotional and stylistic purposes at awards ceremonies.
Ortega’s Givenchy appearance deepened the conversation about how young talents navigate image and publicity through fashion. Photographs and social commentary from the Emmys are likely to continue the discussion about whether the look represents a permanent break with her gothic aesthetic or a moment within a broader, intentional evolution in her public style.