Twenty-two years after her groundbreaking win at the 2002 Academy Awards, Halle Berry donned the famous sheer gown she had originally worn to the event. The 58-year-old actress made history with her role in Monster’s Ball (2001), becoming the first Black woman to receive the Best Actress Oscar, marking her first win in this category. Revisiting that iconic night, Berry attended the 1001 Seasons of Elie Saab event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, November 13, wearing what is said to be the same legendary gown. However, something about the dress is raising eyebrows.
The evening celebrated the brand’s 45th anniversary and featured a star-studded guest list, along with performances by Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Nancy Ajram, and Amr Diab.
Berry looked as radiant as ever in the stunning gown, complementing the look with oversized gemstone earrings and styling her hair in a polished top knot. The dress, a mesh bodysuit adorned with floral appliqués paired with a silky, asymmetrical ruby red skirt, was seen as a pivotal moment for Middle Eastern designers at the time and played a key role in establishing Saab as a household name.
Berry posted a video on Instagram showcasing her runway moment from the Saudi Arabia show, captioning it with, “There are some moments in life that just happen, and they change our lives forever! Winning an Academy Award in my @eliesaabworld gown was one of those moments for me!
Thank you, Mr. Saab, for being a part of the tapestry of my life, as we have been inextricably connected for 22 years now! It was my honor to celebrate you and your 1001 Seasons. Here’s wishing you many more glorious years of joy, creativity and glamour!”
Fans were in awe of the star’s ageless beauty. One exclaimed, “How?!!! This just doesn’t make no sense.” Another added, “Beautiful, Grace, Confidence, Smarts, Innovation, Timeless. Thank you for keeping it 💯💖” A third remarked, “Just as beautiful as the first time.”
Yet another fan wrote, “She never ages! Just glides through the aging process with grace and beauty! FACE CARD NEVER DECLINES!!!!!” Finally, a fifth fan playfully suggested, “Halle is keeping a big secret from us y’all, she discovered the fountain of youth, and she’s keeping it to herself… Girl, you need to share asap!”
Amid all the praise, some keen-eyed fans were quick to notice something significant about the dress. One person commented, “It’s so obvious, it’s not the original dress.” Another wrote, “Although Ms. Berry looks so very beautiful, she appears to be wearing a copy of the original Oscar dress.”
Someone else explained, “It looks like it has been taken up from the neck so that the whole dress sits slightly higher.” Another person added, “It’s not the same dress. Look at the skirt. It’s different. Also, the neckline looks different, not to mention the appliqués are darker. It looks like a Wish version of the original dress.”
Another pointed out, “The location of the appliqué on her right shoulder is different. In the original, it was below her collarbone. In the new one, it’s above her collarbone.” One more wrote, “Beautiful, but it’s not the same dress. It has been remade. Look at the placement of the appliqués, they differ.”
Finally, someone explained, “The material at the bottom is also different. The skirt sits higher and the torso is shorter. Not the same dress.”
Another person commented, “They really should have dug the old one out of the museum for this instead of using a mock-up,” referring to the Oscar gown displayed at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. In fact, last year, Berry revealed that the iconic Elie Saab gown had been permanently placed there, symbolizing a significant piece of Hollywood history.
In an Instagram post featuring the dress on display, Berry expressed her gratitude to the museum for the recognition. Her caption read, “Not only will this historic @eliesaabworld gown remain in the expert care of the museum’s curators and conservators, but it will also be accessible to generations of people for whom the dress also holds meaning and forever be a reminder that all things are possible. Thank you, @academymuseum!”
At 58, the star continues to turn heads wherever she goes. Earlier this year, she was spotted in a daring see-through dress that sparked a variety of reactions, from admiration for her confidence to sharp criticism for being too revealing. You can find the pictures in this link.
