Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

While Brendan Fraser caught the world by storm in his performance as an obese English teacher in The Whale, it was also the work of Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley that came away with praise from audiences. With The Whale, Morot sees his second Oscar nomination and may be close to his first ever win. Prosthetics and makeup transform Brendan Fraser into Charlie, a man who has suffered much guilt and tragedy, culminating in his becoming morbidly obese. Fraser plays the role with empathy, while it is makeup & hairstyling that give the film credence for depicting the lived experience of an obese man.

It should come to the surprise of no one that Elvis received a nomination here. Elvis’ iconic appearance was brought to life by two-time winner Mark Coulier and his team of Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti. A period piece, the film offers much in terms of makeup & hairstyling and it looks like it will be a two horse race between The Whale and Elvis for this category.

The realm of superheroes had a strong showing this past year, as evidenced by the success of The Batman and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, both receiving Best Makeup & Hairstyling nominations. Previous Batman film The Dark Knight received a well-earned nomination in this category, and The Batman receives one here, equally earned for its ambitious portrayals of Batman, Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin, and The Joker. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a bold continuation of the Black Panther story following the death of Chadwick Boseman and the film succeeded in receiving a nomination here.

The category is rounded out with All Quiet on the Western Front, a muddy and bloody showing. Makeup & Hairstyling is significant in any successful war film, and the work done here by Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová helps to show the life of soldiers far over their heads in the battlefields of World War I.

Prediction: Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Anne Marie Bradley (The Whale)

Best Costume Design:

Three-time winner, twelve-time nominee Jenny Beavan is nominated this year for her work in Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. Adored by the Academy, Beavan actually won this category last year for Disney’s Cruella. And likewise, Catherine Martin is nominated this year for Elvis after winning in prior years for Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby. Her work and collaboration with Baz Luhrmann has just as much flourished this year in Elvis as in any other year.

But that’s not to say we could have a newcomer take home the gold this year, both Black Panther: Wakanda Forever costume designer Ruth Carter and Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Shirley Kurata receiving their first nominations for Best Costume Design. Or is it finally time for Mary Zophres to win her first award in this category with her fourth nomination coming this year with Babylon? It’s hard to say, but we can be safe in knowing whoever the award winner is is well-deserved.

Prediction: Ruth Carter (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

Best Production Design:

We’re in for a treat this year with the nominees for Best Production Design. From the gorgeous landscapes of Pandora to the rock ‘n roll 60s and 70s, this category has it all. For the first time since 2009, James Cameron has lured us back into the world of Pandora and the Na’vi in Avatar: The Way of Water. Despite its prominent CGI, it’s obvious the craftsmanship that went into depicting the landscapes, scenery, and underwater of Pandora. Not to mention futuristic technology featured within the film and their horrific impact on Pandora. Avatar won Best Production Design for 2009 and represents a strong showing once again with Avatar: The Way of Water.

All Quiet on the Western Front depicts more than enough its share of violence, set during World War I. The film is based on the Erich Maria Remarque novel of the same name, inspired by Remarque’s experience as a soldier during WWI. Depicting the lived experience of war and its hardships is an emphasis of the production design in All Quiet on the Western Front, tracking shots showing us battlefields before trapping us within claustrophobic and muddy trenches.

Depicting the 20th century in America are the remaining three nominees – Babylon, Elvis, and The Fabelmans. Glitz and glamor are the emphasis in Babylon and Elvis, the former sweeping us off our feet and into 1920s Hollywood while the latter shows us the making of a legend. Elvis sees Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy in control of production design, Martin with accolades that include two Academy Awards each for Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby. It’s very possible she takes home the gold for Elvis as well. On the more restrained side of things is the production design in The Fabelmans, depicting the childhood and adolescence of a young boy who discovers his interest in cinema. Largely based on Steven Spielberg’s own life, there’s a sense of homeliness and warmth that the film captures that can be contributed to the production design of longtime Spielberg collaborator Rick Carter (Jurassic Park, War Horse, Lincoln).

Prediction: Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn (Elvis)