In addition to her eclectic film résumé, Zendaya is known for her show-stopping red carpet looks.
The actress’ outfits never go unnoticed, drawing both praise for her bold choices and criticism for her eccentric fashion risks.
This time, it was the CinemaCon look she wore to promote Dune: Part Three on Tuesday (April 14) that split opinions.
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The two-piece outfit consisted of a fitted blazer with dramatic shoulder pads and a matching pencil skirt.
Though the “sand-like” color and material appeared to be a nod to the franchise, many gave the outfit a thumbs down, saying it brought to mind more disturbing references.
“I always love Zendaya’s outfits but not this one. It reminds me of the skin outfit in Silence of the Lambs,” shared one observer.
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“This outfit makes it look like she’s wearing dried human skin,” echoed another.
“Her dress looks like it’s made of toast,” joked one person, while another agreed that “Zendaya’s fit is giving piece of toast.”
“Can I get the Zendaya burrito extra spice?” a separate viewer commented.
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“I do admire that she commits to the theme of her movies,” gushed one fan, while someone else complimented her “iconic” style.
Zendaya has been making headlines for her looks for years. The 29-year-old star is an ambassador for Louis Vuitton and has made numerous appearances at the Met Gala, serving as co-chair in 2024.
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Before she earned her status as a style icon, however, many luxury fashion houses refused to dress the actress.
According to her longtime stylist, Law Roach, none of the “big five”—Saint Laurent, Dior, Valentino, Chanel, and Gucci—wanted to dress Zendaya before she starred in Dune, Challengers, and Euphoria.
The stylist and Project Runway judge said he built her status as a fashion icon using smaller brands and emerging designers “to prove a point that it can happen.”
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“I wanted to prove that she doesn’t have to be in Valentino to become a fashion girl,” Zendaya’s stylist told The Hollywood Reporter.
“So now that everybody wants to dress her, I go back and say, ‘Not this season!'”
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The two-time Emmy winner was recently asked about speculation that she had secretly tied the knot with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland.
“I’m sure you know the internet has gone berserk with stories about that you might actually be married to Tom,” Jimmy Kimmel told Zendaya.
“Really? I haven’t seen any of that,” she jokingly responded.
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The host mentioned the “very realistic” AI wedding photos of her and Holland that went viral.
Kimmel then revealed that Zendaya brought a video to the show—a scene featuring her as a bride in The Drama, with Holland’s face superimposed on co-star Robert Pattinson’s body.
“It was a beautiful day,” Zendaya joked.
Asked about the wedding rumors, Law Roach said at the Actor Awards in March that the ceremony had already happened.
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Also at the Dolby Colosseum event in Las Vegas were Zendaya’s Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet and director Denis Villeneuve.
Zendaya is reprising her role of Chani while Chalamet is portraying Paul Atreides.
The cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Javier Bardem.
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Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, the sci-fi “Duniverse” was previously adapted into a movie in 1984 and a miniseries in 2000.
Villeneuve described the final movie in the Dune trilogy as an “action-packed thriller,” explaining that it was “more intense and definitely more emotional” than the previous films, as per Deadline.
The filmmaker said it is a story of “redemption,” adding, “But still the heartbeat of the film is that love story between Chani and Paul, [albeit] more of a broken love story.”
Zendaya explained at the event that her character is “at a very different place in her life where that youthful outlook is completely gone.”
The stars began filming the first installment of the film franchise in 2019. Villeneuve discussed the strong relationship they had developed, comparing the cast and crew to a “small family.”
Dune: Part Three is set to hit theaters on December 18.
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