Nazanin Boniadi Gets Ready For the 2023 Academy Awards With Chanel

The Academy Awards—Hollywood's biggest night—celebrate the past year's achievements in film across all sectors of the industry. Across three hours of red carpet arrivals and four of exciting wins and moving performances, stars show off their most glamorous looks. But behind the scenes, makeup artists, stylists, hairstylists, designers, and more work together to construct these elaborate red-carpet ensembles. Activist/actress Nazanin Boniadi, star of Amazon Prime's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, attended the show in Chanel from head to toe, pairing a Chanel High Jewelry with a look from the Maison's Spring/Summer 2020 Haute Couture collection.

In honor of her first time at the Oscars, L'OFFICIEL spoke to Boniadi about how she prepares for such an occasion, the inspiration behind her look, and her advice to young activists looking to get involved, as well as makeup artist Tyron Machhausen about how he created her Chanel makeup look.

L'OFFICIEL: Is this your first time at the Oscars? What are you looking forward to the most?

NAZANIN BONIADI: Yes, this is my first time attending the Academy Awards. It was an honor to be invited by the Academy to join them on this special night. I had the pleasure of being a keynote speaker at their Women’s Luncheon in partnership with Chanel in November 2022, and it felt only appropriate to continue that partnership here. They afforded me such an incredible platform to speak of my advocacy for the women, the people of Iran, and their awe-inspiring fight for freedom. I’m so grateful to be here in solidarity with the entertainment community who has shown incredible support for ‘Woman Life Freedom’ and also to give a nod to the Oscar-nominated film The Red Suitcase by Iranian director Cyrus Neshvad. Sometimes just showing up and being seen and included is the statement in and of itself. Particularly in this moment for the women of Iran.

L'O: Is there anyone or any specific film that you’re rooting for this year?

NB: It’s a wonderful year for film, with so many standout performances. I found Women Talking particularly empowering. And given the ongoing fight for freedom in Iran and elsewhere, I found the documentary Navalny incredibly powerful and inspiring [Editor's note: Women Talking won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and Navalny was awarded Best Documentary Feature.]

L'O: You’ll be wearing Chanel on the red carpet. Can you tell me a bit about the look and how it all came together? Did you already have an idea of what kind of look you wanted?

NB: I was fortunate enough to squeeze in a fitting at Chanel with my stylist Erin Walsh, just before I headed to speak in Abu Dhabi for the Forbes 30/50 Summit, celebrating International Women's Day. I then flew to DC for more advocacy work and landed in Los Angeles just this morning, in time for the Oscars, so in truth, I left the glam and dressing to the experts. I love that this dress is timeless, chic, and effortless and shows off the beautiful artistry of the atelier at Chanel. 

L'O: You’re also wearing Chanel High Jewelry. Do you normally go for glamorous jewelry, or are you more of a minimalist?

NB: While I’m normally a minimalist when it comes to jewelry, I do love a meaningful high jewelry moment like this one with Chanel. It can truly transform and elevate a look. 

L'O: What's the biggest difference between red carpet makeup versus everyday makeup?

TM:  You have to take into consideration that makeup on the red carpet is being photographed under all kinds of different lighting situations, and also with flash. Something that looks great in real life might not translate on the red carpet in the way it is being lit and shot.  

L'O: Nazanin, how do you prepare for such a big night? Any beauty or wellness rituals in the days leading up?

NB: I’ve had little time for much beauty prep. But no matter how busy I am I never forget a morning meditation and yoga to help me stay grounded, particularly in the days leading up to big events like this. If I had more time, I would have loved to indulge in a great facial and spa experience to relax and recuperate before starting the glam process, particularly after so much rigorous travel.

L'O: Do you have any advice for the budding activists out there that want to help but aren’t sure where to begin?

NB: My biggest advice is to find a cause that truly resonates with you. If you don’t care about an issue deeply, you’ll be far more susceptible to burnout and it will be far more challenging to actually impact change. I recommend doing as much research about various causes and finding one that you have a real connection to. And to approach your activism from a place of love for the people you are trying to help, rather than anger and hatred towards those who harm. While this is often easier said than done, this will help protect and preserve your energy so that you can be more effective. Also, while awareness raising is hugely important, I think it’s crucial to focus on solutions-based advocacy, so that you’re not just vocalizing what you are against and what needs to change, but what changes you’d like to create and how to achieve those goals. Surrounding yourself with the right network of empowering and empowered people is also key to thriving as an activist.