9 best celebrity hair looks at the Oscars, from Emma Stone to Demi Moore
Paul Edmonds picks his red carpet hair winners from the 2026 Academy Awards.
Awards season drew to a dramatic close on Sunday night with a star-studded Oscars ceremony. One Battle After Another was the big winner, taking home six gongs, while Hollywood A-listers posed on the red carpet, showing off their incredible designer outfits and giving us lots of hair inspiration.
“Super glamorous and beautiful,” is how Paul Edmonds describes the overall fashion aesthetic. “Lots of fishtail dresses and over-the-top full-length gowns, which I was quite stunned by.”
As for the hair, there were “lots of nape chignons, either centre or side parted, and styled very smooth, because of the dresses being so long and flowy. There were also lots of bobs that were a bit softer, a little bit layered and undone rather than overdone.”
Plus, there were plenty of looks that tapped into the biggest hair trends of the year. Here, Paul talks through his favourite celebrity hair styles from the 2026 Oscars red carpet and what you need to know to recreate them at home…
1. Emma Stone’s bouncy bob
“Having a slightly softer bob that’s kicked out slightly really suited Emma Stone,” says Paul, who thinks this is the kind of look that lots of people will want to copy. “We've had a few clients with long hair coming in recently saying they want to go short but with a modern kind of bob.”
To get this swishy, 90s supermodel finish, it’s all about the perfect bouncy blow-dry. “I think she's had a root spray put in there and a voluminising spray through the lengths and ends before blow-drying with a round brush.”
2. Teyana Taylor’s punkie pixie
One Battle After Another star Teyana Taylor had her trademark pixie cut styled with an artfully undone feel to match the feathers on her black and white Chanel gown.
“She looked amazing – she has that proper Hollywood glamour look wrapped up,” Paul said. “It's got a little bit more gloss to it than usual. It’s a highly glazed look.” He recommends a gel-serum to achieve this level of shine, followed by “a good hair spray because it needs quite a lot of hold. I like Shu Uemura Kumo Hold.”
3. Jessie Buckley’s sleek pixie
Hamnet star and Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley unveiled a chic new hair colour on the Oscars red carpet.
“She's had highlights put in, maybe Airtouch because she's got a soft root that melts into gold blonde,” Paul said. Buckley’s pixie-length crop was then styled sleekly with a side parting. “That would be done using a gel to blow dry the hair into place and then hair sprayed because it needs something that's going to hold it in place – not just for that moment on the red carpet, but all night.”
4. Jacob Elordi’s major mullet
Australian actor Jacob Elordi, who starred in Frankenstein, gave big hair energy on the red carpet, proving that the mullets for men trend is far from over.
“He's taking the mullet to another level,” Paul said. “It’s kind of the Australian surfer dude look, so maybe he's going back to his roots?” To recreate this tousled texture, start by rough drying with sea salt spray, then add wax to give an intentionally messy finish.
5. Anne Hathaway’s half-up ‘do
Soon to star in the long-awaited The Devil Wears Prada sequel, Anna Hathaway walked the red carpet in a floral Valentino gown, he long brunette locks pulled into a half-up style.
“Anne Hathaway’s hair was quite glamorous, the way it was pulled back with wavy ends. She looked amazing,” Paul said, adding that a mousse or styling cream is essential for giving the hair grip when creating hair-ups. “I’d use Shu Uemura Netsu Design because it holds for a long time.”
6. Rose Byrne’s ballet bun
Australian actress Rose Byrne kept her hair simple and elegant, choosing a neat low bun to complement her embroidered black gown by Dior.
“She had a very tight centre-parted nape chignon, which I thought looked really good with her dress,” Paul said. To achieve that perfectly sleek look, the key is blow drying the hair in sections with gel. “You start at the back of the head, put gel on each section and take it into an elastic, then sculpt the chignon.”
7. Odessa A’zion’s mermaid curls
Marty Supreme star Odessa A’zion was giving gothic mermaid glam at the Oscars with her sparkly black Valentino gown and cascading curls.
“The curls were wild but controlled, which I thought looked good with her dress,” said Paul. To create this kind of volume and definition, he recommends drying the hair with a diffuser, then tonging to enhance the curls. Scrunch at the roots with a curl cream or mousse then add a serum or oil on the ends to define the curls and get rid of any frizz.
8. Jane Fonda’s elegant curls
Attending the Vanity Fair Oscars party, legendary actress and activist Jane Fonda looked fabulous in an off-black sequinned gown, her grey bob styled in perfectly coiffed curls.
“I love the way she's embraced her grey hair,” Paul said. “I think she's had some grey blending lowlights put in there. The way it’s cut is really helping to give her cheekbones.” For a curly hair style that lasts, try Oway Flux Potion in the roots to “give you that extra bounce and staying power.”
9. Demi Moore's glossy mane
Demi Moore wore her waist-length locks loose and shiny, which Paul thought was a wise choice given her feather-embellished Gucci gown.
“She kept her hair straight, not even waved this time, which I thought looked beautiful, and she's the new Kérastase ambassador, so she has to have glossy hair no matter what,” he said, recommending the brand’s Gloss Absolu Glaze Drops Hair Oil as the perfect product for getting red carpet-worthy shine.
Lights, camera, glamour
Stars on the Oscars red carpet gave us a host of gorgeous hair looks that enhanced their natural beauty while turning up the glam factor.
If you’ve got a special occasion coming up, the Paul Edmonds team are on hand to help you get the A-list look with a killer blow-dry, elegant hair-up or celebrity-inspired cut.
Feel like Hollywood royalty with a blowout or hair-up appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
