Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 2025 Oscars: A Look at the Five Nominees
Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 Nominees
Introduction
The Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 category at the Academy Awards recognizes the artistry and technical skill behind some of the most visually striking moments in cinema. While often overshadowed by high-profile awards like Best Picture and Best Actor, this category is essential in shaping how audiences experience a film. A well-crafted makeup design can transform an actor into an entirely different person, transport viewers to another era, or bring fantastical creatures to life. From historical dramas requiring period-accurate styles to science fiction and horror films that rely on intricate prosthetics and special effects, the work of makeup artists plays a crucial role in storytelling.
This category celebrates not just beauty and glamour but also the raw, unfiltered realities of character-driven cinema. Aging an actor convincingly, simulating injuries, or altering facial structures can add depth to a performance in ways that go unnoticed when done well. Past winners have included films like The Darkest Hour (2017), which turned Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill, and The Whale (2022), where Brendan Fraser’s transformation played a pivotal role in his Oscar-winning performance. Other standout winners include Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), praised for its bold, dystopian aesthetics, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021), which recreated the distinct look of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.
This year’s nominees for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 push the boundaries of cinematic transformation even further. From the monstrous gothic horror of Nosferatu to the bold theatricality of Wicked, each film in contention has used makeup and hairstyling not just for visual appeal but as an integral part of the narrative. Whether it’s prosthetics that redefine identity, hairstyling that embodies a character’s journey, or makeup effects that blur the line between fantasy and reality, these nominees represent the best in cinematic craftsmanship.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 Official Preview
Nominees: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025
A Different Man My Movie Review
Sebastian Stan leads this psychological drama with a striking transformation that plays a key role in the film’s narrative. The makeup team’s use of prosthetics creates a visually dramatic shift in appearance, essential to the film’s exploration of identity and self-image.
Emilia Pérez My Movie Review
Starring Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, and Edgar Ramírez, this unique musical crime drama uses bold hairstyling and theatrical makeup to complement its shifting tones. The stylists bring a blend of realism and artistic exaggeration to emphasize character development.
Nosferatu My Movie Review
This highly anticipated gothic horror film, featuring Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok, relies on extensive prosthetics and shadow-heavy aesthetics to revive the chilling atmosphere of the original 1922 silent classic. The makeup work accentuates its eerie, timeless quality, bringing the vampire legend back to life in a way that feels both fresh and unsettling.
The Substance My Movie Review
With Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in leading roles, this film ventures into body horror and surreal transformations, making makeup effects a key storytelling element. The team uses practical effects and layered prosthetics to create disturbing yet visually captivating sequences.
Wicked My Movie Review
Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, this musical adaptation delivers fantasy makeup and vibrant hairstyling, including the signature green skin of Elphaba. The challenge of translating the Broadway look to the big screen required detailed shading, long-wear cosmetics, and seamless blending to maintain visual consistency under bright musical lighting.
What Makes a Winner?
Winning the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar 2025 is about more than just visual appeal—it’s about how the artistry enhances the story and elevates performances. The Academy often rewards films where makeup is transformative, whether that means aging a character over decades, creating creatures that seem real, or capturing historical accuracy down to the smallest detail.
Looking at past winners in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 race, we see a trend favoring films that blend realism with artistry. The Darkest Hour and Bombshell excelled because they made actors nearly unrecognizable while still maintaining their ability to perform naturally. In contrast, fantasy films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Suicide Squad stood out for their bold, stylized aesthetics. Historical and biographical films also tend to dominate, with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Eyes of Tammy Faye winning in recent years for their dedication to period accuracy.
For 2025, the competition is wide open. Nosferatu relies on elaborate horror prosthetics, Wicked brings a beloved Broadway aesthetic to the big screen, and The Substance pushes the boundaries of body horror. Meanwhile, A Different Man and Emilia Pérez focus on makeup as a storytelling tool to reflect personal transformation. Each nominee brings something unique, making this year’s race one of the most diverse in recent memory.
As the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 race heats up, these films stand out for their innovative and striking designs.
2025 Nominees at a Glance
The Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 nominees represent a diverse mix of styles and techniques:
- A Different Man – Prosthetic-heavy transformations that redefine identity.
- Emilia Pérez – Bold hairstyling and character-defining makeup in a genre-blending drama.
- Nosferatu – Gothic horror brought to life through intricate prosthetics and shadowed aesthetics.
- The Substance – Body horror and surreal makeup effects pushing the boundaries of transformation.
- Wicked – Fantasy makeup and hairstyling, including Elphaba’s signature green look.
Each of these films demonstrates why the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars 2025 category remains a vital part of celebrating cinematic artistry.
Further Reading & Resources
For those interested in the behind-the-scenes magic of makeup and hairstyling in film, here are some additional resources:
- Behind-the-scenes books detailing the work of Oscar-winning makeup artists.
- Leading Ladies of Makeup Effects: Showcasing the Award-Winning Women of Makeup Effects for Film and Television
- TOM SAVINI’S SPECIAL MAKE-UP EFFECTS PROGRAM
- For more on the masters behind cinematic transformations, check outThe 5 Best Horror FX Artists and their groundbreaking work in special effects makeup.
These resources provide a deeper dive into the artistry that shapes the movies we love.
ML Lamp is the owner of Kilroy Was Here. After his 20 years of working in Las Vegas in the entertainment promotions field, Mr. Lamp retired in 2002 from his job to pursue his passion for collectibles. Now as a guest speaker and author he’s living the dream, and sharing his warmth with You.