By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --"Black Panther" went back-to-back into the Oscar history books on Sunday evening.
Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler became the first African-Americans to win in their respective categories. Carter was first up as she took home an Academy Award for costume design, then Beachler followed her with a win in production design at the 91st annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
"I dreamed and prayed for this night," said Carter, who was the lead costume designer behind the Afro-futuristic wardrobes in Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther." She was previously nominated for her work on "Amistad" and "Malcolm X."
"This has been a longtime coming," said Carter as she burst into laughter while accepting her trophy. She dedicated the award to her 97-year-old mother and thanked Spike Lee, who provided her career start in the 1998 film "School Daze"; the director rose from his seat and pumped his fist into the air in response.
Beachler broke down in tears during her acceptance speech with fellow production design awardee Jay R. Hart, saying she "stands here stronger than she did yesterday." She helped create the cinematic world of Wakanda, the fictional homeland of the main character.
Beachler, who had worked with Coogler on other films, thanked him and said he "made me a better designer, a better storyteller, a better person."
"I stand here today because of this man who gave me a better perspective of life," she said, adding: "I'm stronger because Marvel gave me a chance."
Beachler and Carter played influential roles in helping "Black Panther" become a cultural phenomenon. Both said they wanted to infuse the pride of the African diaspora into the film.
"Marvel may have created the first black superhero. But through costume design, we turned him into an African king," said Carter, who drew inspiration for the film's stylish and colorful garments from her travels to Africa. She spoke with people of the continent to understand the history of each artifact to ensure the different characteristics were represented properly in the film.
The costumes have become so popular that people from different ethnicities — young and older — have worn Black Panther-themed costumes to theaters and at parties. Some even dressed in Wakanda couture at a pre-Oscar event.
"We wanted to bring the world of Africa to life," Beachler said while backstage admitting that she was still "freaking out" after her victory.
"I'm still trying to get a handle of all of this," she said. "All of this is amazing."
Carter said she hopes their historic Oscar wins can open up more doors for other African-Americans who want to follow her and Beachler's footsteps.
"Now we won't have to wait for the first," she said while backstage. "We now have the first. Finally the door is wide open. I'm mentoring in hopes of raising others up and give them hope."
After 20 Years of Acting, Megan Park Finds Her Groove In The Director’s Chair On “My Old Ass”
Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs.
She didn't set out to make a tearjerker with "My Old Ass," now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young woman in conversation with her older self. The film is quite funny (the dialogue between 18-year-old and almost 40-year-old Elliott happens because of a mushroom trip that includes a Justin Bieber cover), but it packs an emotional punch, too.
Writing, Park said, is often her way of working through things. When she put pen to paper on "My Old Ass," she was a new mom and staying in her childhood bedroom during the pandemic. One night, she and her whole nuclear family slept under the same roof. She didn't know it then, but it would be the last time, and she started wondering what it would be like to have known that.
In the film, older Elliott ( Aubrey Plaza ) advises younger Elliott ( Maisy Stella ) to not be so eager to leave her provincial town, her younger brothers and her parents and to slow down and appreciate things as they are. She also tells her to stay away from a guy named Chad who she meets the next day and discovers that, unfortunately, he's quite cute.
At 38, Park is just getting started as a filmmaker. Her first, "The Fallout," in which Jenna Ortega plays a teen in the aftermath of a school shooting, had one of those pandemic releases that didn't even feel real. But it did get the attention of Margot Robbie 's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, who reached out to Park to see what other ideas she had brewing.
"They were very instrumental in encouraging me to go with it," Park said. "They're just really even-keeled, good people, which makes... Read More