Hidden meaning beauty references are my favourite – and no, I don't just mean secret celebrity haircuts that are often a nod to an upcoming movie role but instead, a subliminal message of sorts. And one person who just gave a lesson in what it means to create a hidden meaning beauty reference is Danielle Brooks, with, dare I say, the best manicure of the 2024 Oscars. A round of applause, please.
In a recent Instagram Story, Danielle reshared a video of her nail art for the occasion. Said nail art consists of a classic French manicure with a myriad of crystal gems on the tips. On the ring finger, however, Danielle's nail artist, Temeka Jackson, wrote the number '26'.
'26th Black woman to be nominated for an Oscar 🤍,' the caption reads in reference to her Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in The Color Purple.
When speaking with Laverne Cox, the host of E!'s red carpet pre-show, Danielle shared that the '26' number on her nail represents the total number of Black supporting actress nominees in the history of the Academy Awards.
'I have 26 on my nail because I'm the 26th Black woman to be nominated for best supporting actress,' Danielle said. 'So I had to at least honour that.'
'Whether I go home with an award or not, I will forever be the 26th Black woman to be nominated for supporting actress,' she added.
While Danielle may have been pipped to the post by Da'Vine Joy Randolph for the Best Supporting Actress award, there's no denying that she's a talented and deserving nominee. Snaps for Danielle, Da'Vine and the 26 incredible women that came before them!
