How Zanna Roberts Rassi Got Camera-Ready to Host ELLE’s Actor Awards Red Carpet

2 min read

A carpet hosting gig is no joke, but Zanna Roberts Rassi makes it look easy. Last night at the Actor Awards, the Milk Makeup co-founder and veteran journalist interviewed star after star at ELLE’s premiere spot on the red carpet. Questions for the likes of Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb, host Kristen Bell, and more included asks about their fashion choices and current projects. A seasoned awards show pro, Roberts Rassi notes that to truly kill a carpet, it takes hard work and hours of prep. “Prep week is a blur,” she says. “Calls with stylists and designers about the looks about to hit the carpet, writing questions, studying the room. Meanwhile, I’m a literal moving target for my poor glam team.”

Her getting-ready routine, of course, includes countless Milk Makeup products. On the day of the Actor Awards, at The Maybourne Beverly Hills, Roberts Rassi used what she calls her Hydro “sandwich,” including the Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer, Gel Tint, Gel Concealer, and Set + Refresh Spray. “It has to survive 10-plus hours under lights and 360-degree cameras,” Roberts Rassi shares. “My Milk Makeup Hydro ‘sandwich’ keeps everything hydrated and locked—no flake, no cake, no crack.”

For her look, which followed the night’s sartorial theme of “Reimagining Hollywood Glamour From the ’20s and ’30s,” Roberts Rassi’s personal inspiration was “what would Clara Bow do in 2026?” Her solution came in the form of an Alexander McQueen gown with a drop waist. She paired the gown with circular infinity hoops. “A little sparkle, or a lot, lifts the entire face,” she says.

Below, see how Roberts Rassi prepared for the entire evening—from calling her glam squad to her makeup routine.