How Lady Gaga saved Rachel Zegler's wardrobe malfunction at the Critics Choice Awards

Never underestimate the power of a hairpin

West Side Story star Rachel Zegler had a real pinch me moment at the Critics' Choice Awards recently, when both Lady Gaga and the Haim sisters helped her with a wardrobe malfunction. Zegler explained on Twitter her dress “broke” and the women swooped into action, armed with a hairpin.

Zegler, who plays Maria in the movie musical, wore a mint green Dior Couture gown on the evening which featured a braided cord halter detail and another cord along its open back. According to a report from Variety, Gaga embraced Zegler and said she was “obsessed” with the star – after which Gaga and Este Haim “fussed over a strap that appeared to be twisted at the back of Zegler’s dress.”

Zegler went into more detail on Twitter, writing, “my dress broke last night and lady gaga, este haim, and alana haim all banded together to temporarily fix it with a hairpin. and i think that’s beautiful.”

The actor also had an opportunity to tell Lady Gaga how much the singer meant to her, sharing a video on Instagram of the duo gushing over one another from a distance at the awards. Zegler accompanied the video with the caption, “i got to tell lady gaga that she is the reason i am alive today and honestly that’s all i have ever wanted.”

She added in an Instagram comment she has been a massive fan of the star for “over a decade,” saying, “[Lady Gaga} found the most incredible way to channel her painful experiences into incredible, cathartic art…it became my dream to do the same thing. lady gaga made me the actor i am without even knowing it.”

“i am so blessed that i got to tell her to her face. to hold her hand. to hug her. to smile and cry with her. my heart is full,” she finished.

The 27th Critics Choice Awards were held Sunday, where both Zegler and Gaga were nominated for Best Young Actor/Actress and Best Actress respectively. While neither won their category, Zegler’s co-star Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actor for her turn as Anita in the musical adaptation.

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.