Ruth E. Carter made history on Sunday: the costume designer of the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever became the first black woman to win two Oscars.
Carter took home the statuette for best costume design for the Marvel film and He had previously won the Oscar in 2018 for the first film in the series, Black Pantherthus becoming the first African-American to win in that category.
In his speech, Carter thanked director Ryan Coogler and asked the film’s late star, Chadwick Boseman, to take care of his mother, Mabel Carter, who he said passed away “last week.” Boseman died in 2020 of cancer, aged 43.
“This is for my mother. I was 101 years old,” Carter said. He added that “this movie prepared me for this moment. Chadwick, please take care of my mother.”
Carter also paid tribute to his mother backstage, where he said, “I had a great relationship with her in her later years. The same relationship I’ve always had with her. I was her adventure partner… I was her helper. I know you are proud of me. I know she wanted this for me as much as I wanted it for myself.”
a great race
Throughout his career, Carter has collaborated with major Hollywood filmmakers. She was nominated for an Oscar for her work on her malcom x by Spike Lee e Friendship by Steven Spielberg, as well as being praised for its period recreations in projects such as Lee Daniels’ The Butler and selma by Ava DuVernay and a new take on the legendary series Property. He did the costumes for Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy and even Jerry Seinfeld in the pilot of Seinfeld.
Carter had an influential role as chief costume designer in the making Black Panther a cultural phenomenon by injecting African diaspora pride into the film’s stylish and colorful garments to help bring the fictional nation of Wakanda to life. He wanted to transform the presence of Queen Ramonda, played by Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, from queen in the first film to ruler in the sequel.
“Angela always wanted to play a queen, so to amplify that, we added vibranium…we gave her the purple color of royalty and decked her out in gold as she wore the crown to the United Nations,” Carter said. “When she sits on the throne, she wears a gray one-shouldered dress. Her uncovered shoulder shows her strength: Angela, she had those weapons, didn’t she?
Carter said he was able to get the win against “tough competition”. He addressed the designers of Elvis, Mrs. Harris’ trip to Paris, all everywhere at the same time AND Babylon.
The beginning
Carter began his career in 1988 with School daze by Lee, the director’s second film. Since then, they have collaborated on more than 10 films including do right AND Wild fever. He has also worked with Robert Townsend on Heartbeats and with Keenen Ivory Wayans i’m coming for you.
“I did it myself,” Carter said. “I started out in a single parent home. I wanted to become a costume designer. I studied, I rummaged, I fought against adversity in an industry that was sometimes not like me. And I endured it.”
Through malcom xOscar nominee has reached new heights. That film, starring Denzel Washington, propelled her into the “Hollywood lattice”, giving her more opportunities to work with directors who had different viewpoints and scripts.
Carter’s wish is that her historic win on Sunday brings more opportunities for women of color.
“I hope this opens the door for others to win an Oscar as well,” Carter said.
Source: Clarin
