Jenna Ortega Trades Gothic Glam for Golden Sunshine at the ‘Klara and the Sun’ Premiere
Jenna Ortega has spent years building one of Hollywood’s most recognizable red carpet identities, and her latest London appearance shows just how far she is willing to push it. Her style has long leaned toward the horror-tinged, shaped by darker roles in ‘Wednesday’, ‘Scream’ and ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’.
That approach has produced some memorable moments. For the ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ London premiere, she even carried a purse shaped like the Deetz family home, a playful nod to the film that fans adored.
Ortega’s newest project called for a very different mood. ‘Klara and the Sun’ is Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, with Ortega playing the title character, an Artificial Friend chosen by a teenage girl named Josie, played by Mia Tharia.
The film has been a long time coming. Sony held it for more than 2 years before finally dating it for October, and its press tour made London its first major stop, with Ortega photographed outside the BBC Broadcasting Centre on October 14 and attending an official photocall at The Corinthia Hotel the same day.
Jenna Ortega at the #KlaraAndTheSun world premiere at London Film Festival. https://t.co/w3GKJzw196
— Variety (@Variety) October 15, 2026
The real showstopper arrived a day later. At the ‘Klara and the Sun’ gala during the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 15, Ortega stepped out in a custom honey-gold Torlowei slip dress.
The gown, the Torlowei Tokoni slip, was cut from silk satin with thin straps and a long, narrow skirt finished with a small train. Black Leavers lace trimmed the neckline and bodice, while loose lace florals were scattered down the skirt, and the bare back made the look just as striking from behind.
She finished the outfit with the Aysha lace cap, a mustard-gold headpiece that matched the dress. A diamond necklace and matching ring by Effy Jewelry completed the look, alongside soft waves and a warm, glowing makeup palette.
Jenna Ortega stuns for ‘KLARA AND THE SUN’ premiere. 📷 https://t.co/d6jCULgGOY
— Cinethology (@thecinethology) October 16, 2026
Fashion watchers quickly noticed the theme. With the film titled ‘Klara and the Sun’, Ortega appears to be leaning into a form of method dressing, using yellow and gold as the defining colors of the press tour.
The idea wasn’t limited to the premiere. Her custom Torlowei gown was every bit as eye-catching as the yellow sleeves she wore for her Calvin Klein photocall look earlier in the week.
W Magazine pointed out the contrast with her past work, noting that while Wednesday Addams gravitates toward all things grim, Klara is powered by the sun. The delicate lace cap also marked an ethereal departure from the Versace veil she wore to the ‘Wednesday’ premiere a few years ago.
First trailer for Taika Waititi’s ‘KLARA AND THE SUN’, starring Jenna Ortega & Amy Adams. The film follows a robot who bought by a family to help them heal physically & mentally in a dystopian future. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/5DJrU9NFUF
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 22, 2026
Some observers admitted the shift felt refreshing. One fashion writer noted that after getting so used to Ortega’s darker, more gothic press tours, seeing her embrace warmer colors and softer silhouettes felt lighter, while the lace kept a subtle touch of her signature edge.
The London stop is only the beginning of the film’s rollout. Ortega is set to appear as the lead guest on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ on October 19, and ‘Klara and the Sun’ opens in U.S. theaters on October 23.
Her calendar beyond that looks just as packed. She is set to lead French director Leos Carax’s upcoming film ‘Lily May B’, which begins shooting in early 2027, and she also appears alongside Natalie Portman in ‘The Gallerist’.
If her London appearance is any indication, Ortega’s sunlit era may be just as memorable as her gothic one. Between a highly anticipated Waititi film and a steady stream of standout looks, her golden press tour is off to a bright start.
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