Top 10 Iconic Nails From Your Favorite TV Shows and Movies
Television and film have served as a source of inspiration for all things beauty since its inception on the silver screen and that includes the nails! Oftentimes, the tiny details in a character’s appearance can be overlooked by the viewer, but even the tiniest of details do not go without careful thought by those behind the scenes. Below you will find a round up of the top ten most iconic nails from cult favorite movies and television shows.
1. Euphoria
Prior to season 2, Euphoria, the hit show streaming on HBO Max, was known more for its flashy makeup looks than the casts’ nails. However, that all changed this past season when Natalie Minerva was added to the crew to continue to develop the characters through nail art. The artist, who is friends outside of and prior to the show with starring actresses Alexa Demie and Barbie Ferreira, worked closely with the cast to create looks that told a story and reflected the individual personas associated with each character. For example, Maddy was often shown with a long square nail shape reminiscent of the 90s and early 2000s style she’s known to adopt whereas Cassie was pictured with shorter round shaped nails to convey the softness and perceived innocence of her character. One of our favorites were the nails featured in the scene where it was revealed to Maddy that Cassie had been seeing Nate behind her back, causing Maddy to confront her best friend. These graphic nails with a caged print convey all the intense emotions Maddy had been feeling and give us serious nail envy.
@natalieminervanails Euphoria Maddy's Caged Nails.jpg
2. The Batman
In The Batman, Zoe Kravitz stars as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Her nails are natural with a soft matte finish imitating the appearance of claws in correlation with her character. The idea for claw-like nails was thought of by Kravitz herself during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating “I started to grow my nails out because we couldn't get manicures and then I had this idea to take it further. So, I called Matt and was like, I have this idea, we should do crazy, bitchy, wonderful scary nails that looked like claws. No nail polish on them, so they looked more like claws, and we were able to incorporate it last minute.” Incorporating these claw-like nails added an iconic element to her rendition of Catwoman having been played by the likes of several actresses such as Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry.
Zoe Kravtiz as Catwoman Natural Claw Nails.jpg
3. Casino
Martin Scorsese’s gangster film Casino is not only iconic for its star-studded cast but Ginger McKenna’s classic red tipped French mani. Ginger, played by Sharon Stone, is based on the late Las Vegas socialite Geraldine "Geri" McGee. Her nails further portray the narrative of the alluring and glamorous appearance yet cynical nature of the character by updating a simple nail look with a bright pop of red.
Sharon Stone in Casino nails
4. Populaire
Populaire is a movie set in the late 1950s following the journey of speed typist and secretary Rose Pamphyle, played by Déborah François. Typing with primarily her index fingers, Rose pairs her manicure to match the keys of the typewriter in efforts to use all of her fingers. Her nails become an integral part of her look and help her to win the big typing competition.
Populaire Rose Pamphyle Typing Nails.jpg
5. Claws
Set in South Florida, Claws follows the lives of a diverse cast of five women working at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon and their involvement in organized crime. Morgan Dixon is Chief Manicurist, responsible for many of the on-screen nails seen on the show. The artist explains her process behind conceptualizing these nails, “You read the scripts and, as the artist, you take notes on what you think the nails should look like and then you go to these concept meetings with the director and the writer and they give their ideas.” These full sets are far from simple. Through featuring bold colors, 3D attachments, intricate designs, and glittering accents, these nails are unique to each personality and plotline.
Nails from Claws as seen on Niecy Nash Instagram.jpg
6. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Among the list of Hollywood legends rocking red manicured nails, Marilyn Monroe is arguably the most memorable. Due to her enigmatic presence in the media, the fascination with the late star still remains strong in the present day as an embodiment of the ultimate feminine energy. A signature element to her look became a glossy red manicure on squoval shaped natural nails. Despite the multiple colorful costumes worn in the film, the bright red hue never seems to compete or clash with her wardrobe. The polish worn by Monroe is from Revlon is in the shades Cherries a la Mode and Hot Coral.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Red Manicure.jpg
7. Riverdale
Camila Mendes plays Veronica Lodge in the CW’s Riverdale, an adaptation of the Archie comics. Veronica Lodge’s one constant is her nails! Nail Artist Vanessa Stern shared that the signature shade is OPI’s Malaga Wine. Camila Mendes elaborates that “The dark colors, for me, speak to Veronica's mysterious darkness, and her being from a dark family that's full of secrets."
Veronica Lodge Signature Nail Color.jpg
8. The Hunger Games
Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games sports elaborate decorative nails to match her extravagant appearance as the escort to the District 12 Tributes. Elizabeth Banks mentioned how much she loved these nails and just had to document behind the scenes! Banks said, “While on the set of filming The Hunger Games I took a few photos (actually a lot). The Effie makeup and fashion was just so intricate and detailed that I had to take photos to remember all the bits and pieces.” These nails showcase all the over-the-top glitz that we associate with the utopian Capitol.
Elizabeth Banks Hunger Games Nails
9. Lizzie McGuire
In the Lizzie McGuire episode “Over the Hill” from season 2, Lizzie creates a nail polish color of her own. The metallic green tinged gold is first made fun of by her close friend Gordo and a few other classmates, yet she is actually complimented on the color by her crush Ethan. From this we learn to step outside our comfort zone and experiment with different colors* or techniques with a bit of “Y2K” inspo.
Lizzie Mcguire nails
10. Ocean’s 8
Anne Hathaway rocks a classic French manicure with a long square nail shape in “Ocean’s 8” as Daphne Kluger. Hathaway specifically requested these nails for her character to convey her attempts to appear classy and elegant. To make these French tips feel a little more current in 2022, try switching up the shape to an almond silhouette and play around with the colors.
Just like the makeup or wardrobe, nails can convey a narrative about a particular scene or the character as a whole. 2022 is all about the nail art, the bolder the better. Next time you head to the salon (or take a DIY approach) act as the main character in your life and try out one of these ten iconic nails featured in television and film!
Anne Hathaway French Manicure, Ocean’s 8
Article by Alessa Hatch, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
