‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Star Bill Skarsgård Trades Pennywise for Black Tie at the Academy Museum Gala

Few actors have built a career on being unsettling as thoroughly as Bill Skarsgård. His monster roles have led media outlets to call him a “creature actor,” and his filmography is stacked with horror and dark fantasy. So when he turns up somewhere polished, it tends to register.

The Swedish actor, who turned 36 in August, is best known as Pennywise in the ‘It’ films and the prequel series ‘It: Welcome to Derry,’ where he also serves as an executive producer. He also played Count Orlok in ‘Nosferatu’ and Eric in ‘The Crow,’ both released in 2024.

That reputation made his arrival at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala feel like a change of pace. Bill Skarsgård’s Academy Museum Gala look was a classic black tuxedo, a clean, old-school outfit on a night built around Hollywood glamour.

Bill Skarsgård is here at the Academy Museum Gala https://t.co/J5Kamiy34I

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) October 18, 2026

According to reports, he wore Dolce&Gabbana for the occasion. The black tuxedo featured wide satin peak lapels, a crisp white shirt and a classic black bow tie, paired with high-waisted, wide-leg trousers.

In the carpet clip, he stands with one hand tucked in his pocket, his dark hair swept back, against the softly draped curtains. The jacket falls cleanly over the trousers, which give the look a long, elegant line. Nothing is overdone, and that restraint is exactly what makes it work.

Bill Skarsgård photographed at the Academy Museum 6th Annual Gala. 📷 https://t.co/iQ1aUhZyvJ

— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) October 18, 2026

The tuxedo is a deliberate contrast to his last big fashion outing. At the 2026 Met Gala in May, he wore a custom Thom Browne look for the “Costume Art” theme, an elongated patchwork tuxedo in wool and silk satin with a black cashmere vest, an oversized black peacoat with a shearling collar, a silk faille tie and wingtip boots. Thom Browne dubbed his concept “The Aging Body.”

Vogue Scandinavia described that look as a darker, disciplined take, with razor-sharp tailoring and a slick of high-shine leather. The Academy Museum Gala outfit strips all that back, trading theatrical layers for a single, polished silhouette.

Bill Skarsgård is here at the Academy Museum Gala https://t.co/J5Kamiy34I

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) October 18, 2026

Skarsgård wasn’t the only member of his family on the carpet. His brother Alexander Skarsgård also attended the gala. Alexander is known for fashion risks, from thigh-high boots at Cannes to a gold Saint Laurent suit and transparent PVC shoes at the BFI London Film Festival earlier this month.

Against that backdrop, Bill’s classic tuxedo reads as the quieter option. It is a reminder that there is more than one way to make an impression on a red carpet, and that restraint can stand out just as much as spectacle.

Bill Skarsgård attends the 6th Annual Academy Museum Gala at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, California https://t.co/Xi1nfTCwrf

— Chris (@Nenn_mich_chris) October 18, 2026

Skarsgård’s career has been defined by transformation. He first appeared as a child actor alongside his brother in ‘White Water Fury,’ then went on to roles in ‘Hemlock Grove,’ ‘Castle Rock,’ ‘Barbarian,’ ‘Atomic Blonde’ and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ His horror work, especially as Pennywise, turned him into a household name.

Films in which he has appeared have grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide, according to his profile, and he has earned multiple awards and nominations, including a Satellite Award and a Berlinale Award. That track record makes his occasional formal appearances feel like an event.

His slate is busy. He plays Tony Kiritsis in ‘Dead Man’s Wire,’ and his upcoming credits include ‘The Death of Robin Hood,’ in which he plays Little John, and ‘Emperor,’ in which he plays Philip II of Spain. He is also listed for ‘Lords of War’ in 2027.

That range, from true-crime drama to historical epic to horror, is what makes a night like the gala interesting. It is a snapshot of an actor who is just as comfortable in a tuxedo as he is under heavy prosthetics.

The gala honored Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter, with Taylor Swift set to perform. Guests included Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi, alongside Alexander Skarsgård and Tom Ford.

In a crowd full of statement gowns, a perfectly tailored tuxedo stood out for the opposite reason. It was simple, confident and unmistakably old Hollywood.

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