This is Powell’s 10th
Oscar nomination. She has won the costume design award three times, including for Scorsese’s Howard Hughes biopic,“
The Aviator.”
The opportunity to work again with the director, a frequent
collaborator, was a major motivation for her to sign on to the lavish
3-D family movie, but so was its source material, the illustrated
children’s novel “
The Invention of Hugo Cabret.”
The Oscar nominations were announced early Tuesday morning, but the day
was heading into night in England, where costume designer
Sandy Powell ended up learning the news of her Academy Award nod for
Martin Scorsese’s
“Hugo” while she was stuck in traffic. “I was in a car being driven by a
friend in a traffic jam on a rainy London afternoon,” Powell said.
“David [Davenport], my [costume] supervisor, sent me a message saying,
‘You better start looking for a dress!’”
- – more
Highlights:
Oscar nominations doesn’t
necessarily mean an Award but it’s close. Sandy Powell a seasoned
Costume Designer has brought the art of Costume Design to a level of greatness. Other nominees for films like War Horse Steven Spielberg’s epic, The Descendants with George Clooney, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,
Hugo directed by Martin Scorsesse, are all a shoe for the Academy
Awards. Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre has been playing host for the
presentations in the past few years where winners like SOCIAL NETWORK,
THE KING’S SPEECH and BABLE enjoyed being honored. Just think, back when
it all started the Hollywood Roosevelt was host. Now it’s a great part
of Oscar History. Don’t forget the many other categories: Art Direction,
Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress Oscar
and so on. Film Schools in LA are now very prevalent and talent from
all over the globe go there waiting for their day in the sun. French
actors, British actors and of course our American actors all await being
an Oscar Winner whether they admit or not. Period costumes for The
Silent Film “The Artist” inspired great artistry and performance by a
great assortment of Talent from various parts of the World. Wow…good Old
Hollywood!
When costume designer Sharen Davis read The Help
years ago, she immediately felt a deep connection with the book. “I
loved the book so much, it was really serendipitous,” Davis says about
getting on board as the costume designer of the 1960s era film about
African-American maid’s experiences working for white families during
the civil rights movement. Davis’ work on the film helped breathe life
to each character who are all represented so well, as if they were
visualized and the facets of their personalities were put to fabric. The
splashes of color on each character speak volumes about who they are.
Skeeter (Emma Stone), the idealistic heroine of the
film who refuses to get married like the rest of the “proper girls” of
her time, dons Peter Pan collars, shirt-dresses and plaids. Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard),
the insecure schemer who will do anything to secure her social standing
in town and keep things the way they are wears the brightest florals
and the loudest bows. Elizabeth (Ahna O’ Reilly), the
girl who isn’t capable of mothering her own children and stands by
submissively as everything unfolds, wears more muted florals. The camera
introduces Celia (Jessica Chastain) the girl living on
the outskirts of town looking in, feet first, clad in sky high
platforms before panning to her bare legs and revealing her fitted
romper. – – Read more about Sharen
