DUBAI: French-Algerian actress and dancer Sofia Boutella hit the red carpet at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards alongside Foo Fighters frontman Dave Ghrohl, almost a year after starring in a music video for the rock band.
Boutella, who recently joined the star-studded cast of upcoming horror pic “Cuckoo,” showed off a punk-style dress by Alexander McQueen at the MTV VMAs.
The all-black look hailed from the fashion label’s Fall/Winter 2021 Ready-to-Wear collection and featured a deep V-shaped neckline, silver zipper details and a thick leather belt at the waist.
The ensemble was put together by celebrity stylist Jen Woodward, who completed the look with chunky high-heeled boots and equally weighty silver jewelry.
Dave Grohl (C), Sofia Boutella (R), and guest attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center. (AFP)
Boutella most recently worked with Ghrohl on the Foo fighters’ music video for their single “Shame, Shame,” which was released in November 2020.
The “Atomic Blonde” star was tapped by the band to depict an interpretation of a recurring dream that’s haunted the lead singer since his childhood days.
Directed by Argentinian photographer and director Paola Kudacki, the black-and-white video sees Foo Fighters frontman Grohl dragging a broken guitar while having multiple interpretive dance encounters with Boutella, who showcases her impressive dance skills.
“#ShameShame is a very meaningful song and it’s a very meaningful visual – different than anything we’ve ever done before,” wrote the Foo Fighters on their Instagram account at the time.
Boutella has decades of dance experience under her belt and has been honing her skills since she was a child.
Born in Bab El-Oued, a bustling neighborhood of Algiers, Boutella started studying ballet aged five. The family fled the Algerian Civil War in 1992 when she was 10 years old and moved to Paris. There, she gravitated towards rhythmic gymnastics, joining the French national team at the age of 18.
She blended her classical ballet training with the physicality of gymnastics and even spent time break-dancing with a dance group called the Vagabond Crew.
Her breakout moment came in 2007, when renowned choreographer Jamie King was searching for a female dancer for a Nike commercial. He came across Boutella’s video submission and snapped her up for the campaign.
Ultimately, she decided to put aside her dancing career to pursue acting. Today, the dancer-turned-actress has a number of Hollywood blockbusters under her belt, including “Fahrenheit 451,” “Atomic Blonde” and “The Mummy,” where she starred alongside Tom Cruise.
