7 Times Celebrities Paid Tribute To Their Heritage on the Red Carpet (3 of 4)

Riz Ahmed at the 2021 “Encounter” film premiere 

Riz Ahmed is British-Pakistani and opted to represent his South Asian heritage at the 2021 premiere of the film “Encounter.” According to the New York Times, Ahmed wore a kurta to demonstrate the current socio-political climate we are living in. “Wearing a kurta to a premiere signals to the world what kind of space that is now and what is acceptable in that space,” Ahmed said. 

Tiffany Haddish at the Academy Awards in 2018

Tiffany Haddish honored her Eritrean heritage at the 2018 Academy Awards. She did this to honor her culture on her father’s side, and did so by wearing a traditional Eritrean princess gown. “My father passed away this year and he’s from Eritrea, and he said one day you’re gonna end up at the Oscars and when you go you’re going to have to honor your people,” Haddish said. Her Eritrean gown featured a white corset and beautiful black and gold detail, with a matching golden tiara. She added that she was proud to wear the gown and represent her culture at the event.