Image by getty images

There’s only one day on the Jewish calendar more important than Rosh Hashanah for looking your spanking best. And our favorite Hollywood Hebrews were out in full force at the Academy Awards. Here’s six Jewish things about the Oscars red carpet.

Let’s get the bad ones out of the way first.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Bette Midler’s choice of red flowers (roses, perhaps?) was unfortunate. The capped-sleeve Reem Acra dress looked like it had been embroidered onto her body. But it didn’t really matter because all eyes were on Midler’s beaming face. “She was nice enough to make [the dress] in my size,” she laughed.

Ms. Midler Tweeted earlier: “She actually came to my house!”

Just about to hit the Red Carpet, courtesy of Reem Acra, the most adorable designer. Thank you, Reem! (She actually came to my house!)

— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) March 3, 2014

Glam squad in action! pic.twitter.com/xbEqUub64s

— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) March 3, 2014

Anna Kendrick, who the internet claims is Jewish, is usually the queen of keeping things cool. But the “Up in the Air” star didn’t quite get the pitch perfect.

Image by getty images

Her Jay Mandel dress featured all of the following: a crimped skirt with a slit to the knee, asymmetric sheer patches on her chest, an odd mish-mash of strings crossing her back and—most bizarre of all—a sheer band splattered with red flowers across her midriff. Just like her active Twitter feed, there was a lot of funny stuff going on.

Midler’s only competition for smile size came from Jonah Hill, nominated for his role in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” who crashed Bradley Cooper’s moment in the red carpet spotlight.

Looking dapper in a traditional tux, replete with formal dress shirt and black bow tie, Hill waved jokingly to the crowd who were clearly screaming for Cooper, before jumping up on stage with him. But Hill didn’t seem fazed that the attention wasn’t his: “I always assume Leo’s standing right behind me.”

The ladies in green stole the show. Idina Menzel was one of the first stars to fly in on the red carpet, looking wicked hot in a dark green strapless ball gown, made for her by Vera Wang.

Image by getty images

And June Squibb, up for her supporting role in “Nebraska,” dazzled in a gorgeous beaded jade dress with fitted jacket, made for her by Tadashi Shoji, and emerald teardrop earrings à la Angelina Jolie at the 2009 Oscars. She even bagged herself the hottest man of the evening; Jared Leto joined her in front of the red carpet cam, put his arm around her shoulder and said, “Put the rumors to rest, we are indeed dating.”

But this year’s red carpet fashion show was always a non-starter, at least as far as members of the tribe are concerned.

The best-dressed Jew in Hollywood this season has already gone to Irving Rosenfeld, the pot-bellied con artist from “American Hustle,” played by Christian Bale, wearing a very elaborate wig that could give any sheitel a run for its money. So anyone on the red carpet at last night’s Oscars, even the illustrious Ms. Squibb, was just vying for second place.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re near the end of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount