Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling facts for kids

The Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling is a special prize given out each year at the Academy Awards. It celebrates the best work in makeup and hairstyling for movies. This award honors the artists who transform actors into their characters.

Usually, three movies are nominated for this award each year. But sometimes, there have been only two nominees, or even four. Since the 92nd Academy Awards, five movies are now chosen as nominees.

This award category started in 1981. It was first called the Academy Award for Best Makeup. People felt that the amazing makeup in the movie The Elephant Man (1980) didn't get enough recognition. So, even though The Elephant Man didn't win an award, this new category was created for future movies. Before 1981, makeup artists could only get special, one-time awards for their work.

To pick the nominees, a group of makeup experts chooses a shortlist of movies. They watch clips from these films at a special event. In 2002, only two films were shortlisted, so new rules were made. Now, seven movies must be chosen for the shortlist, and the top three become the official nominees. Since 2020, the shortlist has grown to include ten films.

In 2012, the award got its current name: "Best Makeup and Hairstyling." This change started with the 85th Academy Awards. A makeup artist named Rick Baker holds the record for winning this award the most times (7 wins) and for being nominated the most times (11 nominations).

Special Achievement Awards for Makeup

Before 1981, special Oscars were given to makeup artists for their great work on specific movies. This happened twice:

• 1964 – William J. Tuttle for 7 Faces of Dr. Lao
• 1968 – John Chambers for Planet of the Apes

Hairstylists Join the Award

Since 1993, hairstylists can also share this award. This happens if their hair work greatly helps create the look and feel of the characters in a movie.

Winners and Nominees Through the Years

The table below shows some of the movies that have won or been nominated for this award. The years listed are when the movies were released. The actual award ceremonies always happen the next year.

     Special/Honorary Award winner (1964–80)      Academy Award of Merit winner (1981–present)

1960s Winners

1980s Winners and Nominees

2020s Winners and Nominees

Artists with Multiple Wins

Some makeup and hairstyling artists have won this award more than once. Here are the ones with two or more wins:

Artists with Multiple Nominations

Many talented artists have been nominated for this award multiple times. Here are the ones with two or more nominations:

Age Records for Makeup Artists

Here are some interesting facts about the ages of the makeup artists who have won or been nominated for this award:

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Óscar al mejor maquillaje y peluquería para niños

• Saturn Award for Best Make-up
• BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair
• Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Makeup
• Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Award for Best Contemporary Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture
• Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Award for Best Special Make-Up Effects in a Feature-Length Motion Picture
• Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Award for Best Contemporary Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture