While Hillbilly Elegy has been savaged by critics, this shouldn’t hurt its chances in the Makeup and Hairstyling category. Glenn Close genuinely disappearing beneath a mountain of prosthetics, hair, and makeup design could be enough for the film to take this award home, echoing last year’s winner, Bombshell.
With Coming 2 America now out of contention (it won’t arrive on Amazon Prime until March), Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm moves into the top 5 this month. To avoid the general public recognising the infamous titular star, Sacha Baron Cohen wears several elaborate disguises throughout the film including a scarily realistic Donald Trump getup. This could be the darkhorse contender here.
Keep an eye on Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. With its narrative set in the extravagant world of drag, the hair and makeup styling will likely be off the charts. It’s rather shameful The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert wasn’t recognised in this category, so the Academy has the opportunity to show their progression here.
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING PREDICTIONS:
1. Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)
2. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (Warner Bros.)
3. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
4. Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
5. Mulan (Disney)
MAJOR CONTENDERS:
Ammonite (NEON)
Bill & Ted Face the Music (Orion Pictures)
Emma. (Focus Features)
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (20th Century Studios)
Mank (Netflix)
News of the World (Universal Pictures)
The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)
The Prom (Netflix)
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Paramount Pictures)
The Witches (HBO Max)