2022 was a very successful year for actress and comedian Jenny Slate. She was fortunate enough to have roles in two great A24 movies- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Everything Everywhere All At Once. While the SNL alum felt like a star that night wearing a dress she loved, she reveals a wild wardrobe malfunction story where that dress was left “half-cracked” at last year’s Oscars.
Jenny Slate looked classy at the 95th Annual Academy Awards wearing a jet-black top-corseted Thom Browne dress. But as beautiful as Slate appeared in that dress, wearing it was apparently a totally wild story of its own. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Marcel the Shell star spoke about being sewn into this black gown “like a living doll” and having to stand around the whole time. Here’s the hilarious story of her and her peers trying to find the Oscars venue while in the elegant gown.
What happened was I went to the Oscars in a sprinter van standing up. … So they were like, you can sit when you get there, but you can’t sit down, because you’ll get wrinkled. … And I’m like this [stands up straight in a stilted position]. And my husband was like, holding my butt on one side, and my stylist – who got me this beautiful dress – was holding me on the other side. And we’re like driving around town, and I’m like, ‘I’m going to the Oscars, mom!’ And then they’re like, ‘You’ll be there in 17 minutes. This is an ordeal, but it’ll be fine.’ So then a bunch of time goes by, and obviously, I have no idea what’s going on. But I was like, ‘This feels longer than 17 minutes.’ Again, I don’t know how long that is. But we show up at the Hollywood Bowl. I don’t know, that’s just not where the Oscars are.
I can imagine how uncomfortable it must have been to have to stand the entire time in fear of ruining the dress. Not to mention, having each butt cheek being held while trying to find The Hollywood Bowl. Jenny Slate continued to say that she and her driver were debating on where the location of the Oscars venue was while having to hold her bladder in her custom-made dress. After all, the only time she went to The Hollywood Bowl was to see a Florence and the Machine concert. The Oscars is, of course, a very different ball game.
Once Jenny Slate found the right location for the Oscars, the story didn’t stop there. Let’s just say she found out the hard way why her black gown wasn’t for sitting.
Finally, we make it to the Oscars, and I’m like, ‘Oh oh, we gotta get in there!’ Our award for Best Animated Feature was the first one up. I get on in there. I sit down, and [the dress] splits, and it’s like [replicates tear noise]. And guess what was out, my butt. [...] I would say it was half-cracked. … We’re the first award up, my butt’s out, we lose right away. I’m like, ‘I’m so glad that I’m actually the loser,” and you’re like on TV. And like my husband’s sitting next to me, and I’m like, ‘My butt’s out. My butt’s out. My butt’s out, babe.’
That truly is an absolute cringe moment. Unfortunately, one of the top movies of 2022, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, didn’t win Best Animated Feature. But it looks like Jenny Slate was happy for that only so she wouldn’t have to be front and center on stage while speeches took place. I’d probably have to request people stand behind me as I walked up there to avoid bearing my behind to the crowd. At least she had her husband there for support during this wardrobe malfunction.
The A24 animated movie may not have won at that Oscars night, but it didn’t mean another movie of Jenny Slate’s didn’t have luck. Everything Everywhere All At Once was among the 2023 Oscar winners in its biggest honor for Best Picture. On the other hand, that would mean the Parks and Recreation actress’s nightmare would come true of having to make an appearance on the Oscars stage in her “half-cracked” dress to represent her movie. Here’s what else happened on that mortifying night:
And then it ended up that Everything Everywhere All at Once won many awards, including Best Picture and totally deserved it. … I waddled [on stage] holding my butt closed. Oh yeah, I was on stage in the back. I was like, ‘I’m here. I’m back here, thank you so much.’
Slate even said that Jimmy Kimmel, who was hosting that year, didn’t notice her wardrobe malfunction when she said “hi” to him. Clearly, it was a mission accomplished that no one noticed the back of her dress. When looking back at the A24-milestone movie winning Best Picture last year, you can see in the photo below the Zootopia actress’s head behind James Kong to the right. See if you can find her below:
Wardrobe malfunctions are sadly common during big award show nights. Thankfully, no one was able to notice Jenny Slate’s “half-cracked” dress from behind and was able to handle the embarrassing situation like a pro. Her new comedy special Seasoned Professional will be available on your Amazon Prime subscription on February 22nd. You can also look at our 2024 movie schedule so you’re aware of Slate’s future film projects.
