‘The Hunger Games’ Star Mckenna Grace Swarms Newport Beach in a Butterfly-Covered Corset Gown, and the Spotlight Is All Hers
Film festival carpets are usually stocked with tuxedos and cocktail dresses, but the Newport Beach Film Festival has the advantage of a waterfront backdrop. Yachts bob in the harbor, sunlight bounces off the sand, and the whole event feels more like a coastal brunch than a stuffy awards night. That relaxed setting gave one young star the perfect stage.
The 27th annual festival runs from October 15 to 22 and spotlights more than 100 feature films from around the world. Its Festival Honors event took place on Sunday, October 18, at Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California, alongside Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch. The ceremony was filmed for broadcast on PBS SoCal during the awards voting window in January.
Among the evening’s honorees was Mckenna Grace, who received the Spotlight Award, and she arrived in a gown to match. The ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ star’s Newport Beach Film Festival look was a black strapless gown covered in butterflies, and photos of the dress have been circulating widely. Standing against the marina, it was one of the carpet’s most memorable moments.
McKenna Grace at the 27th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival. https://t.co/zIxrikoUTT
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) October 18, 2026
The dress is from Nicole + Felicia, with a sheer, corset-style bodice that shows the boning through the fabric. Instead of conventional embellishment, the whole gown is covered in 3D lace butterflies in black and silver-white. They are scattered across the bodice and spread over a full tulle skirt.
The skirt has a high-low shape, longer at the back, and it floats with every move. Grace kept the styling simple. She wore her blonde hair in a center part with diamond stud earrings, black pointed pumps and pale pink nails.
McKenna Grace says filming the Cornucopia scene in the upcoming “Hunger Games” movie was a “ridiculous bonding experience”: “It really felt like I was in the Hunger Games.” 📍 Newport Beach Film Festival https://t.co/957350nIWI
— Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2026
The gown leaned romantic without being sugary. The black base grounded the look, while the silvery butterflies caught the sun and added movement. It also suited the setting, standing out against the blue water and white boats behind her.
Grace has become a regular on red carpets over the past year, and fashion writers noted that this look matched the darker mood of the black strapless gown she wore at the ‘Scream 7’ premiere. The butterfly details give it a distinct personality, though. It was a fitting choice for an honoree celebrated for spotlighting a rising career.
Angel! Mckenna Grace at the Newport Beach Film Festival. https://t.co/ypzlRDEGui
— mckenna grace files ⋆.𐙚 ̊ (@mckennafiles) October 18, 2026
The Spotlight Award caps a long list of achievements for the 20-year-old. She made Emmy history as the youngest-ever nominee in the Guest Actress category for her role as Esther Keyes in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ She first drew widespread attention in Marc Webb’s ‘Gifted,’ earning a Critics Choice nomination, followed by ‘I, Tonya,’ ‘Captain Marvel,’ ‘Annabelle Comes Home’ and ‘Troop Zero.’
On television, she starred in Peacock’s ‘A Friend of the Family’ and ‘The Haunting of Hill House,’ and she recurred on ‘Young Sheldon.’ The festival called her one of the most accomplished young actors of her generation. The honor arrives just as her biggest franchise role is about to hit theaters.
Mckenna Grace and Inde Navarrette at the 27th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival. https://t.co/8FAjTbJlDD
— mckenna grace files ⋆.𐙚 ̊ (@mckennafiles) October 18, 2026
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens on November 20 and returns to Panem 24 years before the original films. It follows the 50th Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell, where Haymitch forms an alliance with Grace’s Maysilee Donner inside the arena. Francis Lawrence directed the film, and Joseph Zada plays Haymitch.
Grace has been busy with press. She kicked off the international tour in Sydney in a House of Giles gown, Annabel Chan jewels and Jimmy Choo shoes, posing with the Sydney Opera House behind her. The Newport Beach appearance came just days later.
HER BUTTERFLY DRESS! OH MY GOD, SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL! https://t.co/TCUQTsgzRN
— mckenna grace files ⋆.𐙚 ̊ (@mckennafiles) October 18, 2026
Her look for the movie has its own style story. Speaking to E! News, Grace said Maysilee’s costumes were heavily inspired by Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks. “There was Stevie Nicks,” she said of the mood boards. “It was very ’60s, ’70s-inspired.”
The one costume piece she was not fond of was the oversized capes tributes wear in the arena. “My knees were purple because of those capes,” she said with a laugh. She has also said she fought for small details she cared about, including Maysilee’s braid, her pins and her love of coffee and good manners.
The Newport Beach honor puts Grace in the awards-season conversation just as the film’s release approaches. With the ‘Hunger Games’ machine ramping up, expect more carpets and more gowns before November 20. If this butterfly look is any indication, she is ready.
What do you think of her look?
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