Auli'i Cravalho's Latest Red Carpet Appearance Makes a Powerful Political Statement
While we love seeing celebrity fashion on the red carpet, we get even more excited when they use the platform to amplify a message.
On March 23, Auli'i Cravalho stepped out for the premiere of her newest show, Prime Video's The Power, which tells the story of a group of teenage girls who suddenly gain the power of electrocution.
For the occasion, she wore a floral Naeem Khan gown, but it was her makeup that got people talking about missing Indigenous women.
The native Hawaiian actress with Puerto Rican roots donned a red hand print across her face made with lipstick, a symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement that represents the women whose voices are no longer being heard.
Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images Auli'i Cravalho’s red carpet look for "The Power" makes a political statement
"I'm also representing No More Stolen sisters and bringing light to murdered and Indigenous women," Cravalho shared with Entertainment Tonight.
In 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing Native American and Alaskan women and girls, according to The National Crime Information Center, and many still go unsolved to this day.
Unfortunately, this was also the case in Canada, which was where Cravalho was inspired to bring the message to the masses.
"We were lucky enough to be filming in Vancouver for 'The Power,' and I saw many a monument about [MMIW], and I'm so grateful to be working on a film based on female empowerment," she said, adding, "I felt like I had to put my money where my mouth was."
Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images Auli'i Cravalho’s red carpet look for "The Power" makes a political statement
This carpet wasn't the first time we've seen the Moana actress advocate on behalf of marginalized communities.
Last year, she urged Disney to oppose Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill, known by its critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
"Instead of trying to play the safe role and take a step back, take a step forward," she shared with IndieWire in April. "Step up and say what's right and what's wrong. [...] People are gay. If you didn't know by now, now you know."
