Academy Award for Best Makeup

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The Academy Award for Best Makeup is the Oscar given to the best achievement in makeup for film. Usually, only three films are nominated each year rather than five as in most categories. The exception is in the early 1980s, when there were only two nominees; and in 1999, when there were four nominees.

The competitive category was created in 1981, after the Academy received complaints that the make-up work in The Elephant Man (1980) was not going to be honored. No award was given to The Elephant Man however, but an entire category dedicated to honoring make-up effects in film was created for subsequent ceremonies. Previously, make-up artists were only eligible for special achievement awards for their work.

This is one of the categories with different stages of nominating. There is a prelimary list of nominees after they are screened by the members of the branch and then they choose from the pre-nominees what the final nominees will be. Then the whole membership of the academy votes on the winner.

Two nominees limit

Currently, no more than two people may be nominated for a single film. On rare occasions, the Academy does grant a special waiver to allow a third person to share a nomination, but only under special circumstances.^[1]

Superlatives

Rick Baker has received both the most awards (7) and the most nominations (11) for the Academy Award for Best Makeup.

Special Achievement Awards

Before 1981, Special Achievement Oscars were twice awarded to makeup artists for their work on a specific film:

• 1964 - William J. Tuttle for 7 Faces of Dr. Lao
• 1968 - John Chambers for Planet of the Apes

Hairstylists

Starting in 1993, the award is to be shared with hairstylists if hair effects "contribute greatly to the appearance and effect of the characters".^[2]

Winners and nominees

The winners are in bold text with a blue background.

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

See also

• BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair

References