‘Orange Is the New Black’ Star to Replace E!’s Longtime Red Carpet Host

Laverne Cox is trading her prison uniform for glamorous gowns. The Orange Is the New Black actress announced Monday that she would be replacing Giuliana Rancic as the new host of the E!’s Live from the Red Carpet after two decades of Rancic’s red carpet coverage. “I’m so excited and deeply humbled to be hosting E!’s iconic red-carpet coverage,” Cox told Entertainment Weekly in a statement of her new opportunity.

“For many years, I would wake up early on awards show days, get my snacks in place and watch E!’s coverage all day long. I dreamed of walking red carpets,” Cox continued. Now, as someone who has rocked that red carpet throughout her own career, the Netflix star said she can’t wait to be the “red-carpet guide” for E!’s audience and “chat with my colleagues and folks I deeply admire for these very special events in their lives.”

Cox will begin hosting for the 2022 awards season, but she will also be the host for special celebrity interviews, concluding her statement, “I can’t wait to get started while hopefully serving up fashion fantasies for the ages, honey.” Rancic, meanwhile, announced Friday that she had decided to step down from the position amid a new development deal with E!’s parent company NBCUniversal, where she will be “producing and bringing stories to life.”

“After 20 fabulous years hosting E!’s red carpet, I have decided to step out of my red carpet heels into a new pair of shoes,” Rancic wrote on social media to announce her departure. Celebrating a new opportunity to explore her passion for “great storytelling,” Rancic also ended with thanks to her production team and viewers. “To my E! family, thank you for allowing me to make my red carpet dreams come true for the past two decades. It has truly been a highlight of my career and life,” she added.

Cox was quick to thank Rancic for everything she had done while making her own social media announcement. “Shout out to [Rancic]. Thank you for setting such a high standard, for years of grace, class and style. Thank you for always being so amazingly kind and generous whenever our paths have crossed. Sending you so much love on your new chapter.” Rancic responded enthusiastically, “Yes yes and yes! I am SO happy for you!!! Some of my favorite red carpet moments have been with you and now I get to watch you make it your own and I couldn’t be more excited. Congratulations!!!”