2019 Oscar Nominations Predictions – Best Makeup & Hairstyling

The 2019 Oscar race for Best Makeup & Hairstyling has been narrowed down to seven. Clips from these seven films will be screened to the makeup and hairstyling branch of the Academy, and three films will be nominated.

There is some convention to what types of films get nominations in this category. So let’s get into it.

The Nominees:

Black Panther
Mary Queen of Scots
Vice

In the Mix:

Suspiria
Bohemian Rhapsody
Border
Stan and Ollie

You only have to look back a year to see where the Vice nomination is coming from. Darkest Hour won the 2018 Oscar in this category, thanks to the pounds of prosthetic makeup on Gary Oldman’s jowls. The Academy likes when actors are physically transformed through things being pasted to their faces. That is Vice in a nutshell. It works well on Christian Bale. It works less well on Steve Carrell’s chin. But that is by and by. Vice will get in here, and it has a strong chance of winning.

Technical awards are where Black Panther is going to shine. Production design, costume design, makeup and hairstyling. It isn’t a hard sell in any of those categories.

Initially, I had Suspiria rounding out the top three. Then I saw Mary Queen of Scots. It is a film defined by its makeup, hairstyling, and costume design. Makeup is an important piece in the storytelling itself, and I feel like the makeup branch of the Academy appreciates when that is the case.

The only reason Bohemian Rhapsody would get a nomination is because it accurately captures the Queen look. But it is a less impressive achievement than something like Suspiria.

Then there is Stan and Ollie and Border. Both are radical longshots. I’ve also not seen either film, so it is difficult for me to judge the quality of their makeup and hairstyling. And yes, there is a FYC copy of Border sitting just to the left of me on my desk. But there’s no time. I have to get this to print!

As always, thanks for reading!

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—Alex Brannan (@TheAlexBrannan)