The Oscar awards for “Wicked” began with a historical win for Paul Tazewell, who won Best Costume Design for his work on the film.
Paul Tazewell has made Oscars history by becoming the first African American man to win Best Costume Design. He earned this award for his work on the very popular “Wicked” movie.
However, he is not the first African American to win the award. Ruth E. Carter made Oscar history when she won for her work on “Black Panther.” A few years later, she also won for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Will Tazewell win for “Wicked: For Good.”
The other Oscar nominees in this category were:
- Arianne Phillips (“A Complete Unknown”)
- Linda Muir (“Nosferatu”)
- Lisy Christl (“Conclave”)
- Janty Yates and David Crossman (“Gladiator II”).
Tazewell has been nominated for this award before. His work on “West Side Story” earned him that Oscar nomination. This win by Tazewell should come as no surprise to those who follow the award season. He has received many other awards in advance of this one based on his work designing costumes for “Wicked.”
For “Wicked,” he designed over a thousand costumes for the big-screen adaptation of the popular Broadway musical. His most impressive pieces were Glinda’s bubble dress and Elphaba’s black dress. That does not mention the many other unique costumes he designed to bring the fantasy world to life on the big screen.
Paul Tazewell
Paul Tazewell began with asking why Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, wears black. He felt it set her apart in this colorful world of Shiz, but Tazewell also explained it’s a reflection of her mourning for her mother, who died in childbirth. His challenge was in bringing richness to his choice since “much of the detail gets absorbed into the black.”
He used felted fabric, gauze, and chiffon to make Elphaba’s black dress. He found inspiration in the pleated underside of mushrooms. Said Tazewell, “It became about interpreting that into fabric and texture.”
When it came to finding the pink for Glinda’s bubble dress, Tazewell went for a softer pink and a warmer shade that became its own new design. The silhouette of the dress had a structured, hand-beaded, and embroidered bodice that opened up to a bell shape. Tazewell also wanted to keep it translucent. He says, “It gives us a lighter-than-air quality.”
“Wicked” in Theme Parks?
Based on rumors and the box office/digital sales success of “Wicked,” an attraction at a Universal Destinations and Experiences theme park looks likely. Both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood have “Wicked” experiences. At these, guests can see some of Tazewell’s creations. Assuming “Wicked For Good” performs well at the box office, an attraction based on this intellectual property sounds inevitable.
For more theme park-related information, please visit MSM News.
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