She played a downtrodden girl who was uncomfortable in her own skin in Muriel's Wedding.

But Toni Collette looked worlds away from her breakout role at the 25th anniversary screening of the much-loved Australian movie, dazzling in a low-cut maxi dress and leather jacket as she took to the red carpet.

The Little Miss Sunshine actress, 46, was radiant as she arrived for the special screening of the iconic film at the Walter Reade Theater in New York.

Not terrible! Toni Collette, 46, looked fabulous in a low-cut maxi dress and leather jacket as she took to the red carpet for the 25th anniversary screening of Muriel's Wedding in New York

Clearly happy to be celebrating the film that launched her career, the now Golden Globe winning actress teamed a boho floral dress with cowboy boots and edgy leather accessories.

Released in 1994, the classic film follows Collette's character Muriel Heslop from the fictional coastal town of Porpoise Spit, who is obsessed with ABBA and sees marriage as a way of validating her self-worth.

But the Wanderlust star looked a long way from Porpoise Spit and was every inch the Dancing Queen on the red carpet with long wavy locks, sparkly accessories and a megawatt smile.

A long way from Porpoise Spit! The Wanderlust star looked radiant on the red carpet with long wavy locks, sparkly accessories and a megawatt smile

The actress, who has been married to musician Dave Galafassi since 2003, with whom she has daughter Sage, 11, and son Arlo, seven, has previously said what a significant impact the iconic film had on her career.

In an interview with Stellar in May 2018, Toni said she was thankful for her hilarious lead role as the socially awkward singleton and what it continues to give her career.

'Those doors would never be opening now were it not for Muriel's Wedding,' she told the magazine.

Veteran actress: The Golden Globe winner has come a long way since starring as socially awkward singleton Muriel in the much-loved 1994 Aussie movie

The Blacktown-born actress also revealed she still gets stopped in the street by fans of the film who say 'you're terrible Muriel', more than two decades after it first hit the big screen.

She said that playing the repressed, underdog character who becomes an unlikely heroine changed her life.

'It's pretty incredible that a film has stayed with people on such a deep level,' she added.

Doors opening: The Aussie superstar has revealed what a significant impact the iconic film had on her career – and continues to have 25 years later

From Muriel's Wedding, Toni had a succession of roles that catapulted her into international superstardom.

These include films like The Sixth Sense, for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1999 and her United States Of Tara series, which earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in 2010.

The classic film, which famously features the music of ABBA, was turned into a musical by the Sydney Theatre Company in 2016 and Muriel's Wedding The Musical returns to Melbourne this month and Sydney in June this year.