Let's call this a sling thing.
Mariah Carey didn't let a little shoulder injury hold her back from turning a medical necessity into quite the fashion accessory. On Monday, the former American Idol judge rocked a stylish sling while attending the premiere of Lee Daniels' The Butler in New York City as she hit the red carpet less than a month after dislocating her shoulder while shooting a music video.
And, as befits a fashion plate like Mimi, this wasn't just any regular sling: Hers was a snazzy, leather-and-studs creation that perfectly matched her curve-hugging LBD. (Dainty, bow-bedecked peep-toe pumps completed the sharp ensemble.)
Carey—who appears in the Lee Daniels–directed historical drama, which features a star-studded cast that includes Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker and Jane Fonda—chatted with E! News on the red carpet outside the Ziegfeld Theater, where she revealed that the premiere marks the first time she's left the house in two weeks in the wake of her injury.
She also said that she just underwent some X-rays earlier that day. The pop star clearly hasn't lost her sense of humor: She cracked to E! News that she's had "more MRIs that the guy who invented MRIs."
Even hubby Nick Cannon, who was also at the premiere, joined in on the jokes, quipping that his wife "gets an arm brace for every outfit." (We have to agree!) He added, "I don't even know what they're gonna do next. She's done lace, leather, studs, diamonds."
But Mariah disagreed, telling us, "Well, not every outfit, I barely leave the house. This is like the first time I left the house in two weeks!"
And it looks like Carey had a brace buddy at the premiere, after costar Fonda showed up with an injured arm, as well. "With the incredible Ms. Jane Fonda. 2 'cast' members of The Butler," she wrote with an Instagram picture of the duo.
Carey's glammed-up persona at the premiere was a sharp contrast to her stark look in the film, in which she underwent a dramatic makeunder.
It's not the first time that the actress has chucked all semblance of vanity for a role. Carey famously appeared in Precious—Daniels' harrowing and acclaimed 2009 drama that nabbed him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay—in which she portrayed a modest but deeply committed social worker.
Based on its pedigree, Lee Daniels' The Butler , which opens on Aug. 16, seems to be following in Precious' awards-baiting footsteps.
Looks like Carey sure knows how to sling the right roles in prestigious films.