Film and Television
“Where am I?”
That’s the question costume designer Ruth E. Carter asks herself before she designs a single costume for a film.
That question holds everything, Carter says.
“Where does the story take place geographically, historically and emotionally? Where is the character standing in their life at that exact moment? What era are we in? What season? What time of day? Is the world around them heavy or light, quiet or volatile?”
Carter became the first Black woman to win more than one Academy Award following her win for Best Costume Design for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She had previously won the award for Black Panther.
“Once I understand where I am, the mood, the silhouette, the textures and the color language begin to reveal themselves,” Carter tells Hollywood Rebound. “Character-specific questions follow, but ‘Where am I?’ is always the doorway.”
Carter most recently explored those questions to prepare for Sinners — Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller set in 1932 Mississippi.
“[Carter] elevated the film’s narrative through bold, symbolic costuming — most memorably in its iconic dance sequence — demonstrating her unmatched ability to fuse story, movement, and design into cultural spectacle,” her biography reads.
The film took home the Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, and Best Original Score - Motion Picture.
Now, attention turns toward the Oscars. Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 22. The ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 15.
Be on the lookout for Ruth E. Carter — this could be her fifth nomination and third win.