Tiffany Haddish's 2018 Oscars Gown Is Inspired by Her Late Father
"I'm wearing an Eritrean, authentic princess dress. And I'm proud of it."
By McKenna Aiello ••
There's a special meaning behind Tiffany Haddish's 2018 Oscars look.
The "Girls Trip" star told E!'s Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet that the traditional African gown is a nod to her Eritrean heritage, where her late father was from.
Reflecting on her whirlwind year, Haddish shared, "There have been really awesome, really great times and some bad times. My father passed away this year and he's from Eritrea."
She recalled him telling her, "'One day you're going to end up at the Oscars and when you go, you have to honor your people.' So I'm wearing an Eritrean, authentic princess dress. And I'm proud of it."
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Guillermo del Toro and the cast and crew of "The Shape of Water" accept the award for best picture at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Frances McDormand accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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British actor Gary Oldman delivers a speech after he won the Oscar for Best Actor in "Darkest Hour" during the 90th Annual Academy Awards show on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Director Guillermo del Toro accepts Best Director for 'The Shape of Water' onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Eddie Vedder performs during an In Memoriam tribute at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Actor/singer Keala Settle performs onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Actors Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek speak onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Common performs "Stand Up For Something" from the film "Marshall" at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Via video feed, actors Margot Robbie and Lupita Nyong'o, host Jimmy Kimmel, and actor Gal Gadot exit the theatre during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center to surprise moviegoers across the street on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Filmmakers Kobe Bryant (L) and Glen Keane accept Best Animated Short Film for 'Dear Basketball' onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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BB-8, actors Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill and Kelly Marie Tran speak onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Actor Allison Janney accepts Best Supporting Actress for 'I, Tonya' onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Singers Miguel (L) and Natalia Lafourcade perform onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Actor/singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Actor Sam Rockwell accepts the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri during the 90th Annual Academy Awards show on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
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Helen Mirren displays a jet ski as host Jimmy Kimmel looks on, left, at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Kimmel joked that the person who gave the shortest acceptance speech would win the jet ski.
Heartwarming dedication aside, Haddish is presenting at her very first Academy Awards.
The comedienne said she's most looking forward to "meeting Meryl Streep and asking her to be my mama," adding, "I'm looking forward to having drinks with Whoopi Goldberg. I'm looking forward to doing the 'Nae, Nae' with everybody, and I'm definitely looking forward to presenting an Oscar."
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Tiffany Haddish attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
