A tongue-in-cheek red carpet moment at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards has sparked a fresh wave of online chatter after two actors arrived in near-identical replicas of the vivid orange outfits worn weeks earlier by Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet.
Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs, co-stars in the US comedy series Hacks, stepped out at the ceremony in Santa Monica on 4 January wearing bright orange looks that closely mirrored the matching custom Chrome Hearts outfits Jenner and Chalamet had debuted at the Los Angeles premiere of Chalamet’s film Marty Supreme in early December.
Downs appeared in an orange leather suit styled with an orange shirt and orange boots, and carried a black leather case slung across his body in the same position as the accessory Chalamet had worn. Stalter wore a floor-length orange dress with cut-outs beneath the bust and around the waist, along with a cross-style embellishment and matching jewellery, echoing Jenner’s earlier look.
The replica outfits were credited to Los Angeles-based designer Erica D. Schwartz, according to reporting from the event.
The decision to recreate the couple’s coordinated premiere styling appeared to be played straight on the carpet, with Stalter and Downs mirroring not only the colours and silhouettes but also the couple’s pose, further fuelling the sense that the reference was deliberate. Online, the images quickly circulated as viewers pointed out the similarities and described the look as a form of “cosplay” of a recent viral red carpet moment, with reactions ranging from amusement to disbelief at the attention to detail.
Jenner and Chalamet’s original orange looks had drawn attention at the Marty Supreme premiere on 8 December, marking what was described as their second red carpet appearance together. Their coordinated styling, including the bright colour palette and statement accessories, was widely discussed by fans and fashion watchers at the time, and the Critics Choice recreation arrived while the pair’s award-season appearances remained a regular subject of public interest.
At the Critics Choice Awards itself, Jenner and Chalamet appeared together but did not repeat the orange theme. Chalamet wore a pinstripe suit, while Jenner wore a black gown with a plunging neckline and side detailing, according to descriptions from the event. Vogue reported that Jenner did not walk the red carpet but attended inside the venue, seated with Chalamet and members of the Marty Supreme team, and that her dress was a vintage Gianni Versace Couture gown from the designer’s fall winter 1996 collection, sourced via Tab Vintage.
The moment landed during a significant night for Marty Supreme. The film received nominations including Best Picture, as well as nods in categories including Best Casting, Ensemble, Best Production Design and Best Editing, while Chalamet was nominated for Best Actor for his performance as the film’s title character.
Vogue also reported that Chalamet, while accepting a Best Actor award, addressed Jenner during his speech, calling her “my partner of three years”. The remark added to the attention on the couple’s presence at the ceremony, particularly as the two have kept aspects of their relationship private while still appearing together at high-profile industry events.
The pair’s relationship has been the subject of sustained public fascination since it emerged in 2023. Reporting connected to their appearances has described them as dating since the spring of that year. They have attended several major awards ceremonies together over the past two seasons, including the Golden Globes, and have been seen at other high-profile events in the US and Europe.
People reported that their red carpet debut as a couple came in Rome in May at the David di Donatello Awards, where Chalamet received the David for Cinematic Excellence honour. From there, their appearances together have often become fashion talking points, with coordinating looks repeatedly noted by observers.
Against that backdrop, Stalter and Downs’ recreation at the Critics Choice Awards was interpreted by many social media users as a playful nod to the couple’s prominence in pop culture conversations. The styling choices appeared aimed at replicating the recognisable elements of the original outfits rather than simply referencing the colour, with details including the cut-out placement on Stalter’s dress and the cross jewellery highlighted by viewers comparing side-by-side images.
Stalter is no stranger to using red carpet fashion for impact. InStyle noted that she has previously drawn attention for unexpected wardrobe choices at major events, and that the Critics Choice look fit a pattern of playful, rule-bending appearances.
For Downs, the recreation centred on the tailoring and accessories, with the bright orange leather suit and the shoulder-slung black case forming the most immediately recognisable link to Chalamet’s earlier look.
The episode highlights how quickly celebrity fashion moments can be transformed into cultural shorthand, especially when they involve a well-known couple and a striking visual theme. Jenner, who has long been a fixture of fashion coverage and online style commentary, has increasingly been seen alongside Chalamet during his promotional and awards campaigns, with Vogue suggesting she has aligned her wardrobe with the Marty Supreme trail through themed appearances and vintage selections.
While the Critics Choice replica looks were framed by fans as a joke, the attention they drew underscored a broader dynamic of the modern awards circuit: red carpets now function not only as showcases for designers and stylists but as fast-moving internet content, where a single memorable outfit can be recreated, remixed, and reinterpreted within weeks.
By the end of the night, Stalter and Downs’ orange ensemble pairing had become one of the ceremony’s most shared fashion moments, driven largely by the recognisable reference point and the precision of the recreation.
