Alexander Skarsgård's Red Nails Are the Perfect Accessory

a white man wearing a black tuxedo posing in front of paparazzi on a red carpet — (Image credit: Getty Images)

When Alexander Skarsgård asks for a "Ferrari red" manicure, you give him a Ferrari red manicure. The Big Little Lies actor was among dozens of celebrities who attended the 16th Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 16, where he showed up wearing a traditional black, double-breasted tuxedo from Saint Laurent. He also skirted all sorts of seasonal rules by showing up wearing the greatest accessory I saw on the red carpet all night: bright red nails.

Skarsgård's manicurist, Natalie Minerva, shared a close-up photo of the actor's nails via Instagram, mentioning that, when narrowing down a look for the night, he requested the color "Ferrari red." Per Minerva's caption, they decided to go with OPI's "Big Apple Red," a bright, poppy, red color that looks like it has a slightly orange undertone.

a white man wearing a tuxedo and posing in front of an amber background at a red carpet event — Alexander Skarsgård wears a bright red manicure to the 16th Governors Awards in Los Angeles.

Skarsgård has been having a lot of fun taking risks with his fashion and beauty looks this season, which is actually pretty refreshing given that so many red carpets are often devoid of levity. Last month, he attended the BFI London Film Festival and hit the red carpet wearing a backless, white halterneck blouse with a black, leather tie and matching leather pants. A few months before that, he attended the Cannes Film Festival in France and paired his black tuxedo with a chic pair of black, leather, thigh-high boots from Saint Laurent.

The actor's daring red carpet looks are likely tied to his role in the upcoming romance film Pillion, where he's set to play a queer biker gang member who enters into a BDSM relationship with a shy, younger man. Skarsgård obviously isn't the first man to ever enjoy wearing a manicure (case in point: MGK, Harry Styles, Tyler the Creator, Brooklyn Beckham, Lil Nas X, and Billy Porter have all rocked manis on and off the red carpet), and he certainly won't be the last. His film officially hits theaters on Nov. 28, and while there's no telling if his playful looks will continue on into awards season, I can only hope that this inspires more men in entertainment to lean into wearing fun nails on the red carpet.

Shop the exact red nail polish shade he used (and a few other stunning red shades) ahead.

OPI

Big Apple Red

Côte Beauty

Stiletto

Manucurist

Poppy Red

Gucci

Goldie Red

Dazzle Dry

Rapid Red

Danielle Jackson is the former senior beauty writer at Marie Claire. She has nearly a decade of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment and was previously the senior beauty editor at Women's Health, where she thoughtfully covered topics related to skincare, haircare, aesthetics, and wellness. Before that, she spent three years as an assistant beauty editor at PS, and in the years since, her work has appeared in titles like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, and more. Danielle graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English, and has lived in Brooklyn for almost ten years. When she's not writing, you can find her reading romance novels and talking about sunscreen. You can find her on Instagram @danielleknecole.