The Dark, Daring Side of Kristen Bell

You know all of those Hollywood celebrities everyone loves to hate? Well, news flash: Kristen Bell isn’t one of them. The blonde actress is not only extremely talented and married to one of the funniest men around, but she’s also hilarious, shows up on our favorite television shows, and has absolutely zero problem standing up for what she believes in. And her latest red-carpet look is giving us just another reason to love her even more, as the actress showed up to a Veronica Mars movie screening yesterday in New York City rocking a look that was quite a bit darker and bolder than the ensembles we often see her sport.

Wearing a strapless fit-and-flare, ankle-length Monique Lhuillier gown — complete with intricate boning, a lace overlay, a black Christian Louboutin clutch, and matching Jimmy Choo heels — the Veronica Mars actress opted for a darker look for her red-carpet appearance that gave us total femme fatale vibes. And while the gorgeous gown itself was somewhat edgier than many of the outfits we’re accustomed to seeing Bell in, it was the major smokey eye — accented by black kohl liner on both the top and bottom lash lines; a chic nude lip; and blunt, cropped hair — that gave the entire ensemble a truly daring air.

Later in the day, Bell continued to stick to her dark eye-and-dress combo during a taping of the The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon show, choosing a voluminous black Michael Kors tank dress with grommet detailing along the hem.

The pair of dark looks are in stark contrast to the romantic Roberto Cavalli gown she stunned in at the Oscars — a dress she recently told Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan was uncomfortable and hard to function in — as well as the baby-blue dress she sported at a recent appearance on Good Morning America .

But they’re definitely not the first we’ve seen in a long line of bold, black numbers that Bell donned throughout the 2014 awards-show season, including her keyhole Pamella Roland gown at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and the belly-baring Reem Acra column dress she wore to host the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2014 Scientific and Technical Awards.

Not that we needed Bell's latest looks to further prove her knack for versatility — both on the red carpet and on the big screen — but it’s undeniably refreshing to see her switch from flirty gowns while promoting Frozen to more mysterious ensembles that reflect the cult-classic role she’s reprising in Veronica Mars.