Elizabeth Hurley, the actress who stole the spotlight on the red carpet, remains just as mesmerizing 30 years later

On May 11, 1994, London photographers flocked to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral aiming to capture the film’s leading couple, Andie MacDowell and Hugh Grant. Their cameras, however, returned filled with images of the woman who stole all the attention that evening: Elizabeth Hurley. At the time, the actress was reduced to the label of “Grant’s girlfriend,” but from that moment on she was also regarded as one of the most stunning and famous women in the United Kingdom. The reason was her dress—but not just any dress. Nicknamed “THAT dress,” in all caps, the Versace design with golden safety pins, sweetheart neckline, and the iconic Medusa emblem she wore that day would become one of the most memorable of the decade. A look as iconic as the romantic comedy that brought it to light.Fred Duval (FilmMagic)

A few months later, the actress of 'Bedazzled' and 'Austin Powers' (her acting career never quite lived up to the expectations it once promised) attended the 1995 Oscars alongside Grant, once again placing her trust in Versace and in a design whose silhouette inevitably recalled the dress that had changed everything. This time adorned with silver sequins instead of golden safety pins, the gown cemented Hurley’s status as one of the boldest women on the red carpet.Jim Smeal (Ron Galella Collection via Getty)

The couple, who met in Spain during the filming of Gonzalo Suárez’s 'Rowing with the Wind' in 1988, became one of the most iconic of the 1990s, and there wasn’t an event where they failed to steal the spotlight. That was certainly the case at the 1995 Golden Globes — not only because the actor won the award for his role in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' but also because Liz Hurley slipped into a Chanel dress that fit her like a glove.Ron Davis (Getty Images)

As journalist Vicki Woods wrote in Vogue in 1995, Hurley is "the only woman in England who can knock Princess Diana off the front page.” That’s why Estée Lauder chose her as a hugely successful ambassador (she was dubbed “the face that launched a thousand lipsticks,” and to this day she continues in that role). At the event where she was introduced as the brand’s new face, Hurley dazzled in a yellow suit by her go-to label, Versace.Ron Galella, Ltd. (Ron Galella Collection via Getty)

The images of Hugh Grant and Liz Hurley from those years exude a glamour worthy of Golden Age Hollywood — one that’s impossible to replicate today (partly due to the overexposure of so many stars on social media). At the 1995 Cannes Film Festival, they left the world in awe at the premiere of 'The Quick and the Dead' with an unmatched blend of glamour and sex appeal.Pool BENAINOUS/DUCLOS (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

If there’s one arena where the actress — who has more than 20 films to her name as well as several television series like 'Gossip Girl,' 'The Royals,' and 'Runaways' — truly knows how to shine, it’s on red carpets in dazzling gowns. But she also proves herself in daytime looks. A perfect example is this photo taken at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival which, despite looking like a still from a romantic comedy of the era, was actually her appearance at the photocall for the film 'Extreme Measures.'Pool BENAINOUS/DUCLOS (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Five years after the premiere of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' (and the revolution sparked by her look), Hurley returned to London’s Leicester Square with Grant, this time for the first screening of 'Notting Hill.' Once again, she wore an incredibly alluring Versace dress, thanks to the sheer fabric, and — once more — the next day she outshone the film’s stars, including a certain Julia Roberts, who also made headlines for the Vivienne Tam dress that revealed her underarm hair.Fred Duval (FilmMagic)

Hurley’s success cannot be understood without Versace, and vice versa. In the image, she is pictured alongside Donatella Versace at the amfAR Benefit Evening honoring stars like Richard Gere and Anna Wintour, held in 2003. Liz herself shared the photo a few months ago on her Instagram, along with other memories of the designer, to whom she remained loyal after the death of her brother, Gianni Versace.J. Vespa (WireImage)

The resemblance she shares with her son Damian is as striking as the close bond between them: they often travel together, and he accompanies his mother to various events, such as Vanity Fair’s 2024 Oscar after-party. The young man, who is taking his first steps as a model and actor, even often coordinates his outfits with his mother’s. A few years ago, he wore a black Versace suit featuring the famous golden safety pins that made his mother so famous.Robert Smith (Patrick McMullan via Getty Image)

After her relationship with Hugh Grant ended in May 2000 (following the actor’s scandal with the sex worker Divine Brown), the actress married Indian businessman Arun Nayar in 2007, divorcing him four years later. Before that marriage, she had a brief relationship with businessman Steve Bing, the father of her only son, Damian Hurley. In April 2025, the actress confirmed a new high-profile romance with Billy Ray Cyrus, actor, singer, and father of Miley Cyrus. In this image of the two, the actress is wearing a dress by Safiyaa.Elisabetta A. Villa (Getty Images)

More than ten years later, she wore it again in 2024 at the premiere of her film 'Strictly Confidential,' which also marked her son’s big-screen debut. She herself documented the “before and after” for the more than 3 million followers she has on Instagram, showcasing her taste for reusing looks (in fact, she has more than once spoken out against excessive consumption). Hopefully, we’ll get to see her in “THAT dress” again.Kevin Mazur (WireImage for EHDH)