From Zuhair Murad To Bleached Brows: Miley Cyrus's 3 Most Shocking Oscar Red Carpet Transformations

Miley Cyrus has consistently proven that the Academy Awards red carpet is not just a stage for Hollywood’s elite, but a powerful platform for artistic reinvention and bold fashion statements. As of this year, December 12, 2025, her recent appearances have cemented her status as a style icon who refuses to be predictable, often sparking viral debates and dominating headlines with a single, dramatic look.

The conversation around "Miley Cyrus at the Oscars" is a fascinating study in celebrity evolution, spanning from her early days as a Disney Channel star to her current reign as a Grammy-winning pop powerhouse. Her most recent appearance at the 2025 Academy Awards was perhaps her most transformative yet, demonstrating her masterful ability to use fashion and beauty to signal a new era.

Miley Cyrus: The Full Biography Profile

Born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, Miley Cyrus is the daughter of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus. Her distinctive nickname, "Miley," came from her childhood moniker, "Smiley," which was eventually shortened.

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Her career catapulted into the global spotlight with the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, which premiered in 2006. This role established her as a prominent teen idol, a status she would later famously and intentionally shed through a series of increasingly provocative and creatively daring artistic shifts.

While an Academy Award nomination for her music remains a coveted career goal, Cyrus has achieved significant recognition in other major awards circuits. She earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song in 2008 for "The Climb," a track featured in Hannah Montana: The Movie. In recent years, her hit song "Flowers" earned her two Grammy Awards in 2024, including Record of the Year, solidifying her status as a critically acclaimed adult artist.

The 2025 Academy Awards: The Bleached Brow Transformation

Miley Cyrus's most recent appearance at the 97th Annual Academy Awards in March 2025 was a masterclass in high-fashion drama and calculated shock value. Stepping out as a presenter, the star was almost "unrecognizable" to some viewers, largely due to a single, polarizing beauty choice: bleached eyebrows.

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The Alexander McQueen Gown and Bombshell Glamour

For the main event, Cyrus wore a custom, high-neck, bombshell black gown by Alexander McQueen. The dress was a sleek, floor-length creation that exuded classic Hollywood glamour, but it was the juxtaposition of this traditional silhouette with her avant-garde makeup that made the look instantly viral.

• The Look: A striking, fitted black gown with a high-neck and a dramatic train.
• The Details: The look was accessorized with bejeweled, tea-length gloves, adding a touch of vintage opulence.
• The Statement: The bleached brows and a bold, dark lip created a stark contrast against her golden blonde hair, a look that her hairstylist, Bob Recine, later revealed was partly inspired by classic figures like Jessica Rabbit. The entire ensemble was a powerful display of her current, refined yet rebellious aesthetic.

Her presence was a significant event, especially as she and her boyfriend, Maxx Morando, made their award show debut as a couple at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party the following night, further extending her influence over the Oscar weekend.

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A Decade of Oscar Fashion and Snubs: From Teen Idol to Powerhouse

Cyrus's journey through the Oscar circuit provides a clear timeline of her career evolution, marked by two distinct fashion periods and a continuous pursuit of an Academy Award nomination.

The Divisive Zuhair Murad Era (2009)

One of Miley's earliest and most memorable Oscar red carpet appearances was at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. Still firmly in her Hannah Montana phase, she chose a tiered, ornate, and heavily embellished gown by designer Zuhair Murad.

The dress, a voluminous, off-the-shoulder number, was highly debated by fashion critics at the time. Many compared the intricate tiers to a wedding cake, deeming it too mature or overwhelming for the then-16-year-old star. This moment highlighted the intense scrutiny placed on young stars attempting to transition from teen idol to serious artist.

The Oscar Nomination Chase: 'The Climb' and 'Flowers'

Despite her many accolades, an Oscar win remains an elusive goal, a fact that underscores the difficulty of earning a nod in the Best Original Song category.

• 'The Climb' (2009): While not Oscar-nominated, this song received a Golden Globe nomination, proving her early potential in the film music space.
• 'Flowers' (2023): Her global smash hit "Flowers," which won two Grammys, was widely speculated to be a contender for an Oscar nomination. However, it was ultimately not shortlisted for the Best Original Song category, a decision that surprised many industry observers and fans.
• 'Beautiful That Way' (2025): More recently, her song "Beautiful That Way" from the film The Last Showgirl received a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nomination, once again bringing her close to the coveted Academy Award shortlist, though she did not receive the final Oscar nomination.

The Vanity Fair After-Party: The Maison Margiela Pivot

Following the main ceremony, Cyrus executed a complete fashion and beauty pivot for the exclusive Vanity Fair Oscar Party. This after-party look is often where celebrities take their biggest risks, and Miley was no exception.

She appeared in a custom Maison Margiela ensemble, a fitted black dress assembled with striking zippers that gave the look an edgy, deconstructed feel, moving away from the classic McQueen gown. To complete the transformation, her hair was styled into a dramatic, new look: blunt bangs, a stark change from the voluminous waves of the red carpet. Accompanied by her partner, Maxx Morando, this appearance marked a stylish conclusion to her highly successful and highly scrutinized 2025 awards season run.

From the early, controversial Zuhair Murad gown to the shocking, high-fashion Alexander McQueen statement with bleached eyebrows, Miley Cyrus’s history at the Oscars is a compelling narrative of a star constantly evolving, challenging expectations, and—most importantly—always ensuring she is the one setting the narrative.