Jessica Williams Prepared for the Emmys With Smash Mouth Radio

Jessica Williams has sneakily become a fashion star to watch. Thanks to her stylist Sarah Slutsky, the actor has championed cult favorite designers, rocking the likes of Shushu/tong, Bora Aksu, Dauphinette, and Sandy Liang. So when it came to her first Emmy nomination—for her work as Gaby on Apple TV’s Shrinking—the immediate first question was what to wear.

Williams, who appeared as one of Rodarte’s muses in their spring 2024 collection, turned to the Mulleavy sisters for a look that matched the grandeur of her accomplishment. “Good Lord do I love Rodarte. Kate and Laura are incredible to work with. They are dream designers and they just made me feel so so special,” she tells Vogue. “I just feel like Rodarte has always been Rodarte, and aside from having such a strong opinion and work ethic, they really come from a place of working with people that also have a strong point of view. Rodarte allowed me to be Jessica and they created this incredible dress.”

The adoration is mutual. “We loved working with Jessica and Sarah to create a gown that feels elegant, modern and feminine. The process was a celebration of Jessica’s performance and nomination,” says Laura Mulleavy.

While preparing for her special day, Williams had a very particular playlist: “I love my glam team. We really just goof around and listen to Smash Mouth radio,” she says. “They really join in on the fun. The more fun we are having, the better I feel and then the better I look.”

Although she acknowledges how exciting the entire process is—and how crucial it is to stay present—Williams is also focusing on what is within her power. “I’m most looking forward to the moments where I can circle back to what’s most important and the only thing that’s in my control: me,” she says. “Awards are very cool but also they are a social construct. There are so many incredible people that didn’t get nominated. I get paid to do dress up essentially and I am just so so lucky.”

For Williams, an awards show is best spent feeling comfortable and grounded. “I feel like myself—but nominated for an Emmy.”

Below, join Jessica Williams as she gets ready for the 2023 Emmy Awards.