Ruth E. Carter makes Oscar history again with costume designer nomination for ‘Sinners’

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LOS ANGELES — Ruth E. Carter has made history once more.

With her Oscar nomination for “Sinners,” Carter has become the most-nominated Black woman in Academy Awards history across any category, according to Variety. The trailblazing costume designer was recognized for her work on Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic, set in the Jim Crow-era Mississippi Delta.

“It’s ... pride, gratitude, responsibility,” Carter told The Associated Press on Thursday. She previously won Oscars for “Black Panther” in 2018 and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in 2023, becoming the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards.

Carter is now a five-time nominee, surpassing Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis. She is tied with longtime collaborator Spike Lee and Morgan Freeman for the third-most nominations among Black creatives, behind the late Quincy Jones and Denzel Washington.

“This is a major step in the development of our voices in Hollywood,” she said.

Over her career, Carter has shaped the visual language of some of Hollywood’s most influential films. She earned Oscar nominations for her work on Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” and Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad,” and received acclaim for period ensembles in projects including “The Butler,” “Selma” and the reboot of “Roots.” Her designs have also been worn by Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy and Jerry Seinfeld, including for the original “Seinfeld” pilot.

“My trajectory has been about telling the story of culture,” Carter said. “Our history is being erased as we speak. So to have this responsibility of telling our stories — and being as authentic as I can — and being awarded for it, is a celebration.”

In “Sinners,” Carter said she approached costume design as an act of protection rather than embellishment, determined to safeguard the visual truth of Black working-class life, particularly sharecroppers and migrants of the early 20th century.

“We made something out of nothing,” she said. “There were hand-me-downs. There were patches. If the pants were long, we turned them up. If the hem was crooked, we left it. We wanted to show how we took things for what they were and still found a way to celebrate.”

The nomination marks another collaboration with Coogler, whom Carter credits as a vital voice for the future of Black cinema.

“I thank the Lord that Ryan Coogler was born,” she said with a laugh. “Because he continues to tell stories that are important to the culture.”

Carter said the nomination also reflects staying power in an industry often defined by reinvention.

“I was the first to be nominated. I was the first to win. And I’m still in the game,” she said. “If my being here tells young designers anything, I hope it’s that this isn’t a fluke. It’s hard work. It’s voice. It’s vision. And it’s staying.”

Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press