‘Red, White and Blue’ Star Brittany Snow (40) Sets the Academy Museum Gala Ablaze in a Red-Hot Max Mara Sequin Gown

Brittany Snow has spent 2026 showing just how many red carpet moods she can pull off. At the Golden Globes in January, she arrived in a white strapless Danielle Frankel gown named Petra, a bridal-inspired design with a flared hemline, as her Netflix series ‘The Beast in Me’ was up for Best Television Limited Series. She wore her hair slicked back and kept the glam minimal.

So when she landed on the Academy Museum Gala carpet, the question was which Brittany Snow would show up. The 6th annual event took place Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, honoring Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter. The evening raised more than $14 million, with Taylor Swift performing and Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw co-chairing.

The answer was a full-on red moment. Snow arrived in a slinky red sequined gown that quickly became one of the night’s most talked-about looks, and it helped her lead the best-dressed lists alongside Karlie Kloss in sleek black. It was a bold swerve from the bridal white of the Golden Globes.

Brittany Snow looks red hot on the carpet at the Academy Museum Gala. 🔥💃 🎥: @jpasc24 https://t.co/5Rp1nGE2n4

— TMZ (@TMZ) October 18, 2026

The dress comes from Max Mara’s Resort 2027 collection and was styled by Yael Quint. On the runway, it was paired with an oversized coat, but Snow left the outerwear behind and let the dress stand alone. The dress hugs her frame from a plunging V-neckline with delicate spaghetti straps all the way down to the floor.

The sequins are the real hook. They catch the light in a shimmering, scale-like pattern that moves with every step, giving the gown a liquid shine. The color is a saturated red that stood out against the soft curtains and gray backdrop of the carpet.

Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow reunite at the 6th Annual Academy Museum Gala https://t.co/XNno8Srv8e

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) October 18, 2026

The styling kept things relaxed. She wore her blonde hair long and loose, with a delicate pendant necklace resting at her neckline. With a dress this bright, the minimal accessories were a smart choice.

The result felt confident but not overworked. The plunging neckline and fitted silhouette did the heavy lifting, while the loose waves added a touch of softness. It’s the kind of look that photographs beautifully, especially on video, where the sequins really sparkle.

An aca-awesome reunion! 🎶 Pitch Perfect co-stars Brittany Snow and Anna Kendrick reunited at tonight’s Academy Museum Gala, with Brittany, 40, and Anna, 41, bringing a little Barden Bellas magic to the red carpet 💕 @jpasc24 #pitchperfect https://t.co/6EEY5EDa4a

— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) October 18, 2026

Snow wasn’t alone for long. She and her ‘Pitch Perfect’ co-star Anna Kendrick had a cute reunion moment on the carpet, with video clips of the pair posing side by side making the rounds. Kendrick went for drama in a plunging black lace peplum gown from Georges Chakra’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection, paired with a polished updo and statement earrings.

The two outfits made a fun pairing: Snow’s shimmering red against Kendrick’s sculptural black. Fans of the franchise got the kind of Bellas moment they have been hoping for.

Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow have an aca-mazing "Pitch Perfect" reunion at the 6th Annual Academy Museum Gala! 💕 https://t.co/KLPiVu6pH3

— ExtraTV (@extratv) October 18, 2026

Snow’s red wasn’t the only bold shade of the night. One outlet noted that the evening was comparatively low-key compared with last year’s daring moments, with many guests going classic in black. Those who chose color, like Sarah Pidgeon, Naomi Ackie and Cailee Spaeny, leaned all the way into fully saturated shades of red, violet and pink.

Pidgeon, for example, wore a knee-length, orange-red sequin dress from Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2026 Couture collection, which subverted the standard black-tie look. Against that backdrop of black gowns, Snow’s red stood out even more. Sequins were a recurring trend, too, with black sequined gowns on Sarah Paulson, Isla Fisher and Amber Valletta.

Snow’s carpet confidence comes with a busy career. She is known for the ‘Pitch Perfect’ films, ‘Hairspray’, ‘John Tucker Must Die’ and ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’, and she also stars in the Netflix series ‘The Hunting Wives’, with a new season expected to air in 2026. ‘The Beast in Me’ earned her a spot in the Golden Globes conversation, which made her return to the red carpet even more notable.

The Academy Museum Gala is often called the Met Gala of the West, and it lands right after the worldwide fashion weeks, so runway pieces are common. Snow’s resort-collection gown fit that mold perfectly. It’s an easy example of how a simple silhouette, in the right color, can steal a night.

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