STYLE EVOLUTION

Ana de Armas Was a Red Carpet Star Long Before She Arrived in Hollywood

by Kyle Munzenrieder
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Originally Published: 

Spanish born Cuban actress Ana de Armas at the 79 Venice International Film Festival 2022.
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The Cuba-born actress Ana de Armas has only come to the attention of the American masses in recent years thanks to films like Knives Out, her lockdown-era romantic interlude with Ben Affleck, and her brief cameo in No Time to Die. Since stepping into the spotlight, however, all eyes have been on the actress, and they are likely going to remain there now that she has an Oscar nomination under her belt.

But the 34-year-old actress has been walking red carpets for far longer than you probably realize. Before finding Hollywood success, she moved to Spain at 18 years old and started getting parts within two weeks of arriving. She starred in the popular teen drama El Internado for six seasons as well as several Spanish-language films. After a few years of keeping it relatively casual on the red carpet, de Armas started stepping into her glam. She was a favorite attendee at fashion events in Madrid and started cutting her teeth on the international film festival circuit before she arrived in Hollywood. Style-wise, she doesn’t shy away from making a statement, though she never goes too loud, either. Below, check out all of her best red carpet moments since 2008, and get ready to see a lot of Louis Vuitton.

2023: Academy Awards

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De Armas celebrated her first-ever Oscar nomination in an embellished custom Louis Vuitton dress with a bustier bodice and scalloped skirt.

2023: Vanity Fair Oscar Party

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After the awards show, the actress changed into a stained glass inspired dress, also from Louis Vuitton, for the after party.

2023: Screen Actors Guild Awards

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This custom Louis Vuitton dress is all about the subtle texture created from the floral embroidered tulle, as well as the velvet bows decorating the top of the piece.

2023: BAFTA Awards

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Once again in Louis Vuitton, the actress opted for a more demure look and wore a light pink custom satin dress with ruffle details on the chest.

2023: Golden Globe Awards

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De Armas looked lovely in a custom black strapless Louis Vuitton gown with a pleated skirt and a silver, studded design down the front.

2022: Governors Awards

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At the 2022 Governors Awards, de Armas kept it elegant while not afraid to bare a bit of skin in Louis Vuitton.

2022: Louis Vuitton Show

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For Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2023 womenswear presentation, de Armas showed up in a black miniskirt with a matching take on the varsity jacket.

2022: Blonde Premiere

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For the Los Angeles premiere of Blonde, de Armas oozed glamour in a Louis Vuitton dress covered in metallic paillettes.

2022: Deauville American Film Festival

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Wearing Louis Vuitton, of course, de Armas opted for a more Grecian look at the Blonde premiere at the French film festival, wearing a long-sleeved white gown covered in gold embellishments.

2022: Venice Film Festival

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De Armas attended the premiere of Blonde at the Venice Film Festival in a custom Louis Vuitton gown that payed homage to some of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous looks.

2022: The Gray Man Special Screening

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Wearing a belted, silver custom Louis Vuitton dress, de Armas attended a special screening for Netflix’s The Gray Man in London.

2022: The Gray Man Berlin Premiere

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De Armas loves to pull out an unexpected suit, and this three-piece navy blue Louis Vuitton look is one of her best yet.

2022: The Gray Man World Premiere

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For the movie’s world premiere, de Armas once again tapped Louis Vuitton, stepping out in another custom silver dress.

2021: No Time To Die Premiere

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Ana de Armas’s first red carpet appearance in 20 months was a big one: the long-delayed premiere of James Bond flick No Time To Die. In the film, de Armas steps into the role of Bond Girl as a CIA agent named Paloma, but on the red carpet, she stepped into a custom Louis Vuitton gown with a dramatic leg slip.

We’re not sure if de Armas was intentionally trying to channel some of the energy of Princess Diana’s infamous “revenge dress” (members of the royal family were on hand for the premiere), but it would be apt. This also marks her first major red carpet since she ended a certain relationship with an A-list actor who has since very publically rekindled things with an iconic ex.

2020: Golden Globes

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For her first big American awards show, de Armas wore a deep blue Ralph & Russo gown.

2019: Knives Out London Premiere

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Knives: out. Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture: worn. De Armas had been around the Hollywood circuit by this point, but Rian Johnson’s surprise hit Knives Out helped cement her as a true star in America.

2018: Vanity Fair Oscars Party

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This was her second Vanity Fair Oscars party, but her first back as a brunette. She chose a red Dolce & Gabbana gown for the event.

2017: Blade Runner 2048 Press Conference Screening

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Dressed in Proenza Schouler for this Blade Runner 2048 event, de Armas clearly had begun to familiarize herself with American designers.

2017: Bottega Veneta Show

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Attending a Bottega Veneta show in New York, de Armas had caught the attention of the worldwide fashion community by 2017.

2017: Vanity Fair Oscars Party

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De Armas’s first big Hollywood blockbuster Blade Runner 2048 didn’t do as well as expected, but in this glittering Elie Saab dress with wavy blonde hair at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, she was fully inhabiting Hollywood glamour of the highest order.

2016: Cannes Film Festival

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Did you know that Ana de Armas did a movie with Usher that premiered at Cannes? No? Well, here she is on the red carpet with him.

2015: Sundance Film Festival

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This was the year de Armas made her American debut, and while the Sundance Film Festival is notoriously casual, de Armas still kept her style quotient high.

2014: Por Un Puñado de Besos Premiere

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Attending the premiere of Por Un Puñado de Besos, de Armas looked almost bridal in a white gown with floral embellishment around the waist.

2014: Malaga Film Festival

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Now blonde, by the time de Armas was attending the premiere of Dioses y Perros at the Malaga Film Festival 2014, she had cemented herself as a red carpet professional.

2014: Malaga Film Festival

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In fact, she had multiple gowns for the event.

2012: GQ Spain Event

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At GQ Spain’s Man of the Year awards, de Armas coordinated with actress Barbara Goenaga in black gowns and colorful jackets.

2012: Margiela for H&M Event

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Best red carpet moment? Okay, we understand it’s debatable, but de Armas in Maison Martin Margiela for H&M long before she came to Hollywood’s attention is still something of a notable fashion artifact.

2012: Madrid Skyfall Premiere

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At the 2012 Madrid premiere of Skyfall, de Armas walked the red carpet as a local celebrity with no idea she’d one day become a Bond girl in her own right. Perhaps this glittering dress helped seal her fate.

2011: La Voz Dormida Premiere

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At the premiere of La Voz Dormida at Madrid’s Capitol Cinema on October 20, 2011 in Madrid, Spain, de Armas opted for a simple but chic black and white outfit.

2010: Despicable Me Photocall at San Sebastian Film Festival

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Back in 2010, de Armas provided the Spanish-dubbed voice for the Despicable Me character Margo (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove in the English version). Don’t let the Minions distract from the fact de Armas has started stepping into her own style-wise at this point and has grown comfortable with prints.

2009: Mentiras y Gordas Premiere

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The film Mentiras y Gordas was de Armas’s biggest release at the time, but she was still keeping things relatively casual with a jumpsuit and flesh-toned heels.

2009: Fotogramas Magazine Cinema Awards

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At a 2009 awards ceremony in Madrid, de Armas stepped out in a gown, but still kept things relatively simple.

2008: Belstaff Botique Opening

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At the opening of a Belstaff boutique in Madrid in 2008, de Armas isn’t quite the glam goddess we’d eventually come to know, but the stars of American teen shows at the time were dressing almost exactly like this for events, too.

2008: OK! Magazine Spain Launch

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Freshly famous in Spain, de Armas attended a tabloid launch party in Madrid in a gold mini-dress.

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