Much like the character she played on Bridgerton, Phoebe Dynevor loves elegance…but don’t expect to see her in any corseted creations on the red carpet anytime soon. Known for her breakout role in the popular Netflix series and more recently, the sexy finance thriller Fair Play, Dynevor’s work earned the actor a nomination for the coveted EE Rising Star Award at the BAFTA Awards 2024. 

“I've been such a fan of the BAFTAs for so long, watched it on my TV every year, and have always been so excited about the Rising Stars each year as I see them go on to do such amazing work,” Dynevor told Vanity Fair ahead of Sunday’s ceremony in London. “It’s such an honor. And then when I found out who was nominated alongside me, it was just crazy. I'm such a big fan of every single person.”

She was nominated for this year’s EE Rising Star honor alongside Jacob Elordi, Mia McKenna-Bruce (who ultimately received the honor), Sophie Wilde and newly-minted Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri. The actor went on to note that this year’s batch of EE Rising Star nominees not only honors female acting talents but also female directors. 

“And it's also really exciting that a lot of these actors are coming out of female-directed films…so that's really cool as well,” she said. 

Previously won by stars such as Daniel Kaluuya, Juno Temple, Tom Holland, Kristen Stewart and most recently Emma Mackey, being awarded with the EE Rising Star honor is no small feat because it is an award voted on by the public. 

So when it came time to find a look worthy of the honor, the Rising Star nominee sought out the top talents of Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of Women’s Collections and friend, Nicolas Ghesquière. “It's always been such a dream of mine to have something custom-made. It's just kind of crazy and insane and so exciting,” Dynevor began. “My stylist Nicky Yates and I were given loads of sketches, and I guess the thing I always look for is a certain elegance and just something that makes me feel comfortable...I really like soft fabrics and stuff that hugs and fits really well.”

On the mission to find “the look,” the actor revealed that she fell for two designs, something she hadn’t anticipated. Dynevor then had the difficult task of choosing between one option that was more “understated” and one that she referred to as the “go for it” gown. 

“I was trying to go for the understated look when everyone else was like, ‘No, just go for it.’ So, we're going for the ‘go for it’ look,” she said. 

Dynevor ultimately chose a daring plunge-neck white halter gown — a style reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress from The Seven Year Itch but modernized with a more sleek and structured silhouette. The nominee accessorized the white silk gown with slicked-back hair, sparkling earrings and bangles.

When sharing what she loves most about the look, the actor said: “I'm really rubbish with fabrics and all of that, but I just know how something makes me feel, and I've always been drawn to fabrics that drape and just feel very elegant. [The dress] is also timeless as well. It feels kind of old Hollywood. It's sexy, but not to. It feels grown up. It's chic and elegant and…I feel like a woman in it.”

The Color Room actor went on to explain why she loves to work with the Ghesquière one-of-a-kind “empowering” pieces that stand the test of time. “Nicolas has such a unique vision and the way he tailors his dresses, there's almost like a masculine energy to his outfit sometimes and I really like that. The way he dresses women is very empowering and he's not kind of conforming to rules of how women should be dressed,” Dynevor said of the artistic director’s designs. “He goes against the grain a lot with fabrics and materials and shapes…he always plays with textures in such an interesting way…I think he just has an amazing eye for the woman.” And while the star loves to slip into a couture creation every now and then, the Younger alum joked that her everyday style is “very unfashionable.”

“I'm never in a high heel. I'm always in a little kitten heel. I'm a big fan of those…I live in a really muddy part of London, so I'm mostly wearing wellies in my day-to-day. Or a good pair of trainers and a really cozy jacket,” she said, explaining why she likes to “make up” for it by embracing the glamor of award shows and getting dressed up. “It’s the best of both worlds.” But, of course, Dynevor grew attached to her former character Daphne Bridgerton’s version of everyday wear and fell in love with her character’s romantic Regency Era ensembles. 

“I loved wearing the costumes, and I miss it a lot, actually — it makes you feel such a different way. So many people would speak about my ‘neck acting’ in the show, which I thought was really funny. But I think the costumes definitely have a lot to with that because we're kind of sucked into a corset and there's a lot of tension put on your upper body… so it’s a whole different way of carrying yourself and being in your body,” she said. And despite the revival of the corset in modern-day apparel, the star said she “wouldn't recommend wearing a full corset.”

“I kind of lucked out because I only wore a half corset so I could eat lunch and be okay,” Dynevor recalled of her days on the Bridgerton set. “I was just happy to wear such beautiful costumes. I mean, also just having that many dresses made was just crazy. I also kept one corset that I've hung up and it looks really cool.”

Apart from the excitement of getting dolled up for the star-studded BAFTAs ceremony, the nominee also expressed how thrilled she was to be at home in London for the special night. 

“I feel slightly more comfortable at London events. I think I'm always more overwhelmed when I go to things in L.A.,” Dynevor admitted. “I get more nervous about L.A. events. And then London, I feel like I have a few people that I kind of know and gravitate towards more here, so I can at least hold on to them if they're there.”

That includes loved ones like her mother and boyfriend Cameron Fuller, who get to be by the star’s side for the big occasion. 

“I'm honestly mostly looking forward to not having to be there on my own. I get to bring my mom and my boyfriend, and that's always just so much better when you get to experience something like this with someone…because usually, you're just trying to remember what happened, so I can tell the people I love,” she said. “I think that's what I'm most excited about.”