Naomi Ackie Turns the ‘Clayface’ Press Tour Into a Masterclass in Dark Gotham Glamour
DC Studios’ ‘Clayface’ has finally arrived in theaters, and while Tom Rhys Harries has been front and center as the shapeshifting Matt Hagen, his co-star Naomi Ackie has been quietly stealing the spotlight on the ‘Clayface’ press tour.
The British actress has spent the past few weeks on a near-nonstop promotional run, promoting ‘I Love Boosters’ in London before heading to Hollywood for the film’s world premiere. Along the way, she’s crafted one of the most cohesive red carpet stories of the season.
Her fashion choices have leaned heavily into the movie’s macabre mood. W Magazine noted that her outfits have been almost entirely black and sourced from some of fashion’s most daring designers, giving her a high-fashion take on a Gotham City baddie.
At the October 13 world premiere at the Hollywood Legion Theater, she wore a black one-shoulder Gucci gown with a thigh-high slit, paired with knee-high Gucci boots and diamond and emerald earrings.
Now, new photos from the press tour are making the rounds online, and fans are once again praising Ackie’s style. In one shot, she poses in an elevator wearing a sculpted black dress with dramatic structured shoulders and a fitted silhouette, paired with sheer tights. Another close-up captures her in a striking portrait with her hair styled in sleek braids.
The images follow her standout appearance at the European premiere in London on October 20. There, she wore a croc-embossed Dilara Findikoglu look with protruding shoulders, tattered edges, and bondage-inspired lacing, a piece that originally debuted on the runway at a show staged in London’s oldest Goth nightclub.
Naomi Ackie stuns for ‘CLAYFACE’ press. 📷 https://t.co/sciEWe5vOX
— Cinethology (@thecinethology) October 23, 2026
Ackie has kept the gothic energy going at smaller events too. For back-to-back promotional appearances earlier this week, she wore a cut-out Colleen Allen cardigan with a gothic embroidered sheer skirt. She also landed a cover for The Knockturnal, with a shoot inspired by the dark glamour of ‘Queen of the Damned’.
In that cover story, Ackie opened up about her character, an ambitious scientist whose experimental treatment sets Matt Hagen’s horrifying transformation in motion. “She’s extremely determined, extremely ambitious,” Ackie told The Knockturnal, adding that “at the heart of it, she wants to help, but there’s also a part of her that wants to prove herself.”
Early descriptions of the film pointed to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist, and Ackie’s character fits that bill. In the film, she’s working on AI nanotechnology but has been abandoned by her investors, leaving her with little choice but to accept Matt’s offer to become a human trial for her procedure. Their connection also grows into a romantic one, making the relationship far more personal than a typical doctor-patient dynamic.
Directed by James Watkins from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, ‘Clayface’ was described early on as having the shades and structure of David Cronenberg’s ‘The Fly’. The R-rated body horror film marks Ackie’s first role in the DC Universe.
The final trailer for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’ has been released. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/ecTMB97Sto
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 24, 2026
The role carries extra meaning for the BAFTA-winning actress. Ackie has described herself as a lifelong DC fan and has spoken about watching ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ at a crossroads in her life, using it as the push to fully commit to acting.
Since then, she has built an impressive résumé that includes ‘The End of the F***ing World’, ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, ‘Blink Twice’, ‘Mickey 17’ and ‘Sorry, Baby’. With ‘Clayface’ now in theaters, her dark, dramatic press tour feels like the perfect introduction to her new corner of Gotham.
Which of Naomi Ackie’s gothic Clayface press tour looks is your favorite so far?
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