MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING SHORTLIST:
| “Coming 2 America” |
| “Cruella” |
| “Cyrano” |
| “Dune” |
| “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” |
| “House of Gucci” |
| “Nightmare Alley” |
| “No Time to Die” |
| “The Suicide Squad” |
| “West Side Story” |
All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view seven-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Sunday, January 30, 2022. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
Per the Academy’s press release:
Nominations voting begins on Thursday, January 27, 2022, and concludes on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. The 94th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland® in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
OSCAR NOMINATION PREDICTIONS
“Cruella”
Walt Disney Pictures
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Searchlight Pictures
“Coming 2 America”
Amazon Studios
“Dune”
Warner Bros. Pictures
“Nightmare Alley”
Searchlight Pictures
#1: “CRUELLA” — Walt Disney Pictures
“Cruella” feels like a safe bet here, as the entire film centers around Emma Stone’s look, which constantly changes throughout the course of the film. Also, if any studio is good at pushing their awards contenders, it is Walt Disney.
#2: “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” — Searchlight Pictures
Both Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield are transformed physically throughout the film. The title of the film itself, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” has to do with makeup, so it missing here would feel a bit odd, not to mention, Chastain should be seeing a lead actress nomination, so this would pair nicely.
#3: “Coming 2 America” — Amazon Studios
As weird as it will be to call “Coming 2 America” an Oscar-nominated film, this feels like the “Bad Grandpa” nomination of years past. The makeup team here successfully hides Eddie Murphy several times over and I believe the Academy will take notice of that and award the hair and makeup crew.
#4: “DUNE” — Warner Bros. Pictures
With “Dune” likely being a front-runner for a Best Picture category and a technical award juggernaut, it would make sense for it to grab a nomination here as well. It’s a sci-fi epic with tons of hair and makeup, there’s little reason for it not to make the cut.
#5: “Nightmare Alley” — Searchlight Pictures
Guillermo del Toro movies are usually a shoe-in for Academy Award attention, not to mention hair and makeup bonanzas. Of the remaining films, “Nightmare Alley,” a film that centers around a period carnival freak show for most of its runtime feels like as good a bet as any.
(ALTERNATE) #6: “HOUSE OF GUCCI” — MGM
The Academy’s love or hatred toward the “House of Gucci” might become apparent with categories like this one. I, in particular, didn’t care that much for the film, but the way they transformed Jared Leto along with Lady Gaga’s ever-changing styles could easily land this film a nomination, knocking out one of the aforementioned candidates.
WHY I DON’T HAVE THE LAST FOUR
There does not seem to be much special in terms of makeup or hairstyling in “Cyrano.” Dinklage is even missing the prosthetic nose that made the character famous in previous iterations. “No Time to Die” has both a scarred villain and one missing an eye, plus the gorgeous Bond girls. But none of this even sets it apart from previous films so don’t expect a nomination for this one.
Speaking of not doing much different, “The Suicide Squad” pretty much stays in line with previous DC films starring Harley Quinn, would has most of the hair and makeup. But again, these have been seen before. Lastly, as dolled-up as the women are in the new “West Side Story,” none of it feels very Oscar-worthy.
