As Hollywood prepared for the glamour of the 98th Academy Awards last night, actress Ryan Michelle Bathé stepped onto the red carpet with a vision that blended classic sophistication with a fresh, modern edge. Bathé attended the ceremony alongside her husband, nominee Sterling K. Brown, and while the night celebrates film’s biggest achievements, the actress had a milestone of her own arriving almost immediately afterward. Her episode of the Hulu series Paradise airs March 16, making it a whirlwind weekend of red carpets and on-screen moments. Before the weekend hit, she took us along for some skin-care prep and talked us through the mood board.
The Dress Came First
For Bathé, the Oscars glam process began with one clear creative instinct: reaching out to designer Sergio Hudson. “I had actually seen some pieces from his most recent collection and thought, ‘Oh!” she says. “I just find him such a smart, brilliant designer.”
Once the dress was secured, everything else—from hair to makeup—began to take shape around a shared creative vision. The goal: A refined aesthetic that balances timeless inspiration with a modern sensibility. “What we’re trying to channel is this line between old Hollywood glamour but with a modern take on it,” Bathé explains. “It’s understated elegance, which is probably one of the more difficult things to nail—but when you do, it’s so satisfying.”
A Glam Team That Feels Like a Creative Collective
Bathé credits her glam team with turning the vision into reality. Working with stylist Felipe Gutierrez, hairstylist Marjorie Lightford and makeup artist Tai Rivera, she describes the process as “less of a routine and more of an artistic collaboration.”
“Everyone approaches the work from an artistic viewpoint—balance, color theory, silhouette, shape,” she says. “They’re not just showing up and putting colors on my face. It feels like a true collaboration.”
Sometimes, that creativity arrives in unexpected ways. She recalls a previous red carpet look when Lightford suddenly had a fully formed hairstyle idea. “She was like, ‘I was on the treadmill and it came to me. It’s a bob,’” Bathé says with a laugh. “And everyone just fell in line behind that vision.”
The Skin-Care Foundation for Red Carpet Glam
Before any makeup hits the skin, Bathé says her approach to beauty begins with expert skin care. Her go-to pros include celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden and Beverly Hills dermatologist Jessica Wu, MD.
“For me, everything starts with the best aesthetician you can find and the best dermatologist you can find,” she says. “Between Jessica Wu and Shani Darden here in L.A., that’s ground zero. I literally call Shani’s assistant and beg! And if Shani can’t fit me in, I’ll beg her to just pat my face as I drive by her studio!”
Bathé is also devoted to Darden’s retinol formulas and says skin health is something she’s taken seriously after years of dealing with acne and scarring. “Skin care isn’t just self-care for me, it’s health care,” she says. “Acne can be indicative of other things going on in the body. Clear skin can reflect overall health, so it’s been a journey.”
A Big Weekend—and a Few Nerves
Beyond the red carpet glamour, Bathé admits she’s feeling a bit nervous about another major moment this week, the release of her episode of Paradise on Monday.
“I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous,” she says. “Everyone always asks what it’s like being married to Sterling, and it’s wonderful. But now I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t want to bring down the curve of the family!’”
