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Hours before the season 5 premiere of You at New York City's Paris Theatre, Madeline Brewer has nearly stumbled into a situation straight out of the Netflix thriller. She's spent the morning in hours of interviews for co-star Penn Badgley's podcast. All she wants is some rejuvenating time with her glam team, set to the soundtrack of her "Femme Fatale" pump-up playlist, before hitting the red carpet. But Brewer can't get the night started—because she's trapped.
It's not quite as dire as it sounds. She's just stuck in an opulent bathroom within her Park Lane hotel suite, the door refusing to unlock behind her. Joe Goldberg, You's sadistic lead known for luring in women to untimely ends with faux feminism and taste in rare books, isn't on the other side of the door. Her makeup artist also got stuck (and released) a few minutes before we hop on the line. Final girl scenario? Not quite.
We both giggle at the on-theme similarities between the universe of You and our unorthodox interview setting. "If I have to spend the rest of my life in this bathroom, at this hotel, it was a good one," she laughs over the phone. Once Brewer reassures me she's safe, we turn to the real topic at hand: her look for You's season 5 premiere.
Brewer plays a so-called "manic pixie dream girl" in the series's final season—and explaining how she crosses paths with Badgley's Joe would only trip the spoiler alarm. Heading into the premiere, she wants to keep bookshop employee Bronte firmly on the page and the screen. There wouldn't be any sly nods to her costuming or overall aura, because "method dressing" is not Brewer's dress code.
"She really is an entity all on her own, so I don't really like to bring my character too much to the carpet," Brewer explains. "I don't like to cross that boundary because [it's] a really important boundary I have to keep with myself and a character—to keep them at work and me at home." Plus, the premiere isn't just about seeing Bronte's story unfold. It's about celebrating the work Brewer put into bringing her to life.
In fittings with her stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman, Brewer says she tried on several potential looks. There was only one real requirement for the night. "All I told them was, I really do want to feel glamorous. I feel so proud of the work I've done on this show and of the character, and—honestly, I know this is crazy, but I want to feel like a star," she says.
Being on a carpet is one of those times where you want to stand in your power and confidence—and say, 'I belong here.'
Fittingly, the Handmaid's Tale actress looked to the aesthetic associated with flashing cameras and all-around opulence: what she's calling "new Old Hollywood." And indeed, her black Cong Tri gown with a plunging neckline, exaggerated thigh-high slit, and subtle embellishments resembling flecks of stars in the night sky, is a gown fit for a leading lady.
"I've worn Cong Tri before and always felt truly like a starlet [wearing it]," Brewer says. This time around, a glossy blowout, towering Aquazzura pumps, and a layered diamond necklace by Briony Raymond heightened the effect.
The dress still rested on its hanger when we spoke, but Brewer knew it would be an instant mood-boost the moment she put it on. In her fittings, she sensed it would generate the megawatt confidence she wanted on premiere night. "There are so many times in life where you just don't feel like that girl, you know, but being on a carpet is one of those times where you want to stand in your power and confidence—and say, 'I belong here,'" she explains.
One look at the final ensemble, and I could sense it without standing in the Park Lane hotel with her: Madeline Brewer is exactly where she's meant to be.
Photographer Emma Craft | Stylist Elizabeth Saltzman | Hairstylist Frankie Calire | Makeup Artist Sasha Borax| Location Park Lane
