The films in contention for the 2021 Best Costume Design Oscar are “Emma,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Mank,” “Mulan,” and “Pinocchio.” Our current odds show “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (16/5) to be the frontrunner, followed in order by “Emma” (39/10), “Mank” (4/1), “Mulan” (9/2), and “Pinocchio” (9/2).
This is the sixth time that Alexandra Byrne (“Emma”) has competed for this award. Only 12 others have received as many or more nominations for their costuming work. She previously prevailed in 2008 for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” after first earning a bid in 1999 for the film’s predecessor, “Elizabeth.” She was later recognized for her work on a third film that included Queen Elizabeth I as a main character: “Mary Queen of Scots” (2019). Her remaining two bids came for “Hamlet” (1997) and “Finding Neverland” (2005).
24 years ago, Ruth Myers was nominated here for an earlier version of Jane Austen’s “Emma” but lost to Ann Roth (“The English Patient”). Roth has now earned her fifth notice for her work on “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” She was first recognized in 1985 for “Places in the Heart” and, after her win, garnered two more bids for “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (2000) and “The Hours” (2003). At 89, she could become the oldest champion in this category’s history. The record is currently held by Edith Head, who was 76 when she won for “The Sting” in 1974.
PREDICT the 2021 Oscar winners through April 25
The nominations for Massimo Cantini Parrini (“Pinocchio”), Bina Daigeler (“Mulan”), and Trish Summerville (“Mank”) make this the first time since 2007 that a Best Costume Design lineup has included three newcomers. Cantini Parrini could follow Mark Bridges (“The Artist,” 2012 and “Phantom Thread,” 2018) as the second man to win this award in the past decade. Only five other men have been nominated during that time.
“Mulan” is the fifth Disney live action remake or reimagining to earn a nomination for its costumes since 2011. “Alice in Wonderland” prevailed 10 years ago and, like “Mulan,” also received a nomination for its visual effects. It was preceded by “Maleficent” (2015), “Cinderella” (2016), and “Beauty and the Beast” (2018).
“Mank” is only the sixth primarily black-and-white film to be nominated for its costumes in the 53 years since the academy began honoring them alongside color films in a single category. The five films that preceded it were “The Elephant Man” (1981), “Zelig” (1984), “Schindler’s List” (1994), “Pleasantville” (1999), and “The Artist” (2012). The lattermost is the only one to have scored a win.
The films that won in this category most recently are “Little Women” (2020), “Black Panther” (2019), “Phantom Thread” (2018), and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (2017). This year’s winner will be revealed during the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, airing April 25 on ABC.
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?
