Awards Red-Carpet Style: Anne Hathaway's Done-Up Drama vs. Naomi Watts' Colorful Casualness (Poll)

Getty Images

Both nominated for Golden Globes for two physically demanding, dramatic roles, Anne Hathaway and Naomi Watts will be closely watched on the arrivals carpet Jan. 13. And both have been changing up their predictable red carpet looks lately, leaving their safety zones for new silhouettes and bold colors, perhaps inspired by their recent artistic turns. For example, Hathaway lost 25 lbs. and chopped off all her hair to play the tragic heroine Fantine in Les Miserables. Watts stars in The Impossible as a wife and mother whose family is caught in the Thailand tsumani of 2004 and who struggles to save herself and her son from the horrors of the natural disaster.

our editor recommends

Anne Hathaway Laments Her 'Vanilla' Image, Admits 'I'm Not Rihanna'

Naomi Watts, Helen Hunt Stun in Blue at Palm Springs International Film Festival

Anne Hathaway, Lorne Michaels to be Honored at Costume Designers Guild Awards

PHOTOS: London Premiere of Les Miserables Featuring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway

Watts has always preferred gowns in neutral hues but has been favoring a bright blue shade of late. She choose a blue Roland Mouret gown for the 35^th Kennedy Center honors  and another blue Roland Mouret satin gown at the Palm Springs International Film Festival last weekend.

Hathaway, who is styled by Rachel Zoe, became a red-carpet style icon after her Oscar nomination for the fashionable film, The Devil Wears Prada. She’s always been fond of tried-and-true elegant, feminine red carpet gowns and is close friends with big ball gown Italian designer Valentino. But she’s traded that classic style lately for a more envelope-pushing look that suits her slimmed down frame and her shorter, gamine haircut.

STORY: Anne Hathaway Slams Media Objectifying Unwilling Participants

Hathaway showed up to the New York Les Misérables premiere in a very provocative Tom Ford chiffon slit gown worn with bondage inspired strap-on boots. You've all heard about the wardrobe mishap when she got out of the car and was revealed to be sans panties. But that hasn't put the kibosh on her fashion experimentation.

She recently attended The National Board of Review Awards wearing one of Hedi Slimane’s coveted designs from his widely praised YSL Spring/Summer 2013 debut collection: a three piece skinny black '70s-inspired pantsuit with a bow-tied black blouse featuring long lace cuffs.

STORY: Media Frenzy Over Anne Hathaway's Panty-Less Appearance at 'Les Mis" NY Premiere

The Globes carpet is a great time to try out these fresh new looks -- but perhaps each actress, if Oscar-nominated, will bring a version of her new style direction to the Academy Awards red carpet as well.