The Academy Awards, commonly referred to as the Oscars, recognizes the best films, actors, and artists in the movie industry. One of the categories that often flies under the radar is Best Makeup and Hairstyling, which recognizes the fantastic work of movie artists who create the stunning looks sported by actors on the big screen. While this category may not receive as much attention as others, it is crucial to the success of movies, and professionals who excel in the field often go on to achieve great success in Hollywood.
Predicting the winner of the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar is no easy task. The complex nature of the selection process involves two stages, with the first stage involving upwards of 15 members of the branch who attend special screenings and cast preferential ballots. The top 10 vote-getters move on to the second stage, where members attend screenings of excerpts from the semi-finalists or attest that they have seen them and cast preferential ballots. The top five films are then nominated.
Because of this selection process, movies that were not part of the conversation in the first few months of awards season often end up as nominees since they were well-received at the screenings. For example, “A Man Called Ove” and “The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” received nominations over movies with much higher profiles.
Best Makeup was introduced in 1981, following an outcry over the lack of recognition with a special award for Christopher Tucker’s groundbreaking work on “The Elephant Man” in 1980. Hairdressers began sharing the award with makeup artists when “Mrs. Doubtfire” won in 1993. However, it wasn’t until 2013 that the category’s name was changed to reflect the recent changes.
The last five winners have all demonstrated the skills of these professionals in transforming famous movie stars into famous real-life people. For example, “Darkest Hour” transformed Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill, Vice turned Christian Bale into Dick Cheney, and Bombshell turned Charlize Theron into Megyn Kelly. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Eyes of Tammy Faye transformed Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain into Gertrude “Ma” Rainey and Tammy Faye Bakker, respectively.
Looking back at recent winners reveals the various types of makeup and hairstyling that appeal to academy voters. Prosthetics, dirt and grime, and big wigs are all popular styles that could win the award, depending on the year.
That said, predicting the winner of the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar is always a tricky task. As of February 6, 2023, the frontrunners for the award include:
• “The Whale,” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley
• “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
• “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
• “Elvis,” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti
• “The Batman,” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, and Mike Fontaine
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Best Makeup and Hairstyling is an essential category that honors the fantastic work done by artists who make actors and actresses look gorgeous on-screen. Predicting the winner of this category can be tricky since the field is highly competitive and subject to the whims of the Academy voters. Nevertheless, the artists who win the award receive a well-deserved recognition of their exceptional skills and talent.
