Danielle Brooks's "26" Oscars Nails Have a Hidden Meaning
There's nothing like a beauty moment that speaks to a larger purpose, and Danielle Brooks's Oscars manicure is just that. On Sunday, March 10, the actor attended the award show after being nominated for best supporting actress for her role as Sofia in "The Color Purple." While the accolade ultimately went to Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Brooks's manicure was a nod to the special occasion and will make you fall in love with her all the more.
The manicure, created by nail artist Temeka Jackson, consisted of a myriad of crystals glued onto the actor's nails to form a French tip. For the barely-there base color, the duo used Aprés Nails's Spring Sigh ($15) before going all out with the bling. Lastly, to really make the nail art personal, the number 26 was added to Brooks's ring fingers as a nod to those who came before her.
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"I have 26 on my nail because I'm the 26th Black woman to be nominated for best supporting actress," she said in an interview while on the red carpet. Brooks was joined by her friend Cynthia Erivo, who had her own Elphaba-inspired nails for the event to pay homage to her character in the upcoming "Wicked" movie.
French manicures have been an award show staple for years thanks to their versatility. While Brooks's nails were a maximalist version of the look, other celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and Michelle Yeoh wore traditional and even cat-eye iterations of the trend to the big event. Take a closer look at Brooks's meaningful nails below.
Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.