Maleficent: Experienced Costume, Makeup & Hair Design

Anna B. Sheppard, Costume Designer

Two-time Oscar nominated costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (Schindler’s List, The Pianist, Inglorious Basterds, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Book Thief) will be designing the costumes for Maleficent, set to be released in theaters May 30th. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland and by all accounts now makes her home in London.

Sheppard was nominated for Academy Awards for Schindler's List and The Pianist, and nominated for the Critics Choice Award and won the Saturn Award for Inglorious Basterds.  Sheppard was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Captain America: The First Avenger.

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent

The costumes for Maleficent are already getting a lot of attention.  This Disney film, starring the Oscar-winning actress, Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted and Changeling) as the title character, will tell the tale of how the famous villain of Sleeping Beauty became so evil and cruel.  

Jolie, in both the trailer and pre-released photos, appears be the perfect visual selection for the wicked character, and finally we'll learn Maleficent's story.  Now an actress, producer and director, Jolie is very respected in Hollywood and chooses the films she does carefully.  

Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora

The supporting cast seems very capable, with Elle Fanning (Dejavu, Super 8, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as Princess Aurora, Brenton Thwaites (The Blue Lagoon, The Awakening) as Prince Phillip, Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium, Oldboy) as Stefan, Juno Temple (Atonement, The Dark Knight Rises) as Thistletwit, and Ella Purnell (Never Let Me Go) as a Teen Maleficent. The film will also be introducing Vivienne Jolie-Pitt as the Toddler Princess Aurora.

Take a look at the latest trailer here:

Rick Baker,  Makeup Artist

Seven-time Academy Award-winning makeup artist Rick Baker will be leading the makeup team on Maleficent.  He's won Oscars for his incredibly unique and industry-changing makeup on the following films, and he certainly has the experience and talent to win another Oscar for this one:

           Rick Baker's Oscar Wins:

•  An American Werewolf in London, 1982
•  Harry and the Hendersons, 1988
•  Ed Wood, 1995
•  The Nutty Professor, 1997
•  Men in Black, 1998
•  How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 2001
•  The Wolfman, 2011

In fact, after his work on An American Werewolf in London in 1982, the Academy created a new category for "Best Makeup and Hair Design"; Baker was the very first winner.  It's been 32 years ago, and it's still arguably the best werewolf transformation ever.  Haven't seen it?  Watch it below:

In November of 2012, Baker received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his exemplary career to date, and it's located directly in front of the Guinness Book of World Records. His star's located there because he's in the Guinness Book of World Records twice; once for having the most Oscar wins, and again for having most Oscar nominations for "Best Achievement in Makeup".  He's been nominated a total of twelve times has seven wins.

Jolie shows her power as Maleficent

Maleficent is one Disney movie that is sure to have lots of action, as can be seen in the previews.  However, it may be a bit darker than some of the previous Disney films.  It is rated PG for action, adventure and drama.  The PG rating comes as a result of "sequences of fantasy action and violence, including frightening images," according to IMDB. 

There's one thing we can all count on; Sheppard and Baker and their team of experts will give us quite a visual show.  I'm really excited to see this one and see what kind of costume design and special effects the team brings to the table. How about you? 

 
            pictures and movie rating/release date information courtesy of IMDB.com               

pictures courtesy of www.walkoffame.com, www.hollywood.com

preview and transformation scene courtesy of YouTube.com

 

 

 

Best & Worst Dressed at the 2014 Oscars

There were so many gorgeous couture dresses on the Oscars Red Carpet!  How will we choose best dressed?  I have a feeling there will be mixed reviews, conflicting opinions depending on personal style and many sites will select a different #1 from the small pool of really GREAT gowns we saw. 

Here are my top six red carpet dresses, in no particular order.  

Lupita Nyong'o

1) Lupita Nyong'o won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave, and she showed up on the red carpet in a custom- made Prada gown in a very pale blue color that Nyong'o said was a "blue that reminds me of Nairobi."  The actual color of the gown is duck's egg blue, but Nairobi blue is so beautiful!  The actress is from Kenya, and her beautiful skin with the plunging V neckline and the unique touch of the small headband makes her a best-dressed contender, and I have a feeling she will come out on top on many sites.

Charlize Theron

2)  Charlize Theron stepped onto the Oscar's red carpet in a black Dior Haute Couture gown with a fantastic train and illusion straps.  It truly was magnificent, and something I would want to wear if I would walk an Oscars red carpet.  Her blonde locks are still short, and the neckline plunge and that long neck of hers, coupled with her short hair, gave her a super-model look.  She definitely picked the right dress, and will top many best-dressed lists.

Jennifer Lawrence

3)   Jennifer Lawrence was expected to wear Dior Haute Couture, and she didn't disappoint.  She is, after all, the face of one of the world's top fashion houses; French fashion house Dior.  JLaw stepped (well, sort of...tumbled, maybe?) out onto the red carpet in a bright red peplum gown, so bright it almost had an orange hue to it.  There was a simplicity to it that was stunning, and wearing the $2 million Neil Lane necklace with 100 carats of diamonds, and wearing it backwards, topped off her look.  This beautiful look puts her high on the list for best dressed once again.

Angelina Jolie

4) Angelina Jolie, I must say, looked incredibly classy, wearing a gorgeous embroidered Elie Saab haute couture gown.  She and her handsome husband, Brad Pitt, truly are a power couple -  if not the power couple, in Hollywood.  During the Oscars, a video was played where Jolie was being given an honorary Oscar, The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which is a much-deserved award for her. 

Amy Adams

5) The lovely Amy Adams walked the Oscar red carpet in a sapphire-blue Gucci gown.  The color was absolutely amazing on her, and her hair was up, which thrilled me.  Perfection.  The Tiffany & Co. jewels she wore were just enough with the dress, and I, for one, am glad that she didn't go for the 70's glam look for Oscar night.  She played it right, and for that, she is also in my top six for best dressed.

Cate Blanchett

6) Last, but certainly not least, is the incomparable Cate Blanchett.  Ms. Blanchett won the Best Actress Oscar for Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.  She wore a stunning Giorgio Armani gown that was embroidered all over with tiny beads and paillettes, which are sequins or spangles sewn that are sewn onto a dress.  She sparkled and seemed to light up the red carpet as she walked it, turning heads.  

Naomi Watts 

Honorable Mention - Best Dressed

Naomi Watts is quite the vision, wearing this white sequined Calvin Klein Collection gown and shoes, Bulgari statement necklace, jewels and Bulgari bag. Red lips and great hair top it all off.

Unfortunately, every awards show has a worst dressed list, and the 2014 Oscars will be no different.  I am putting three contenders below.  I won't give a lot of detail, as a picture is worth a thousand words.  

 Worst Dressed Nominees

Lisa Minnelli wears an electric blue, silky pants suit that was off one shoulder, with a matching blue streak in her hair.  This is wrong on so many levels. 

Bette Midler wore a custom Reem Acra gown on the Oscars red carpet.  I just don't think this is the look for her.  Not the worst, but not the best.  Here is how it looked on the runway: 

 

Reem Acra Fall 2014

Ms. Midler sang wonderfully on the Oscars stage, "Did You Ever Know That Your My Her0."  One reason I am bothered by it is I think Julia Roberts could have ROCKED this gown, with her hair up like the runway model.  I really had hoped she would choose it.

Glenn Close wore Zac Posen, but I never would have recognized the dress she was wearing as his design.  It looked very heavy and with a black pointy  hat, well....I just love her, though.  I can forgive this one dress faux pas.  After all, she is Glenn Close.

You can vote in the polls at the top right of my blog and tell me which starlet you think was the Oscars Best Dressed, and which was the Worst Dressed. Can't make up your mind?  You can vote for more than one.  Also, please use the comments section below if your favorite isn't on the list at all or just to start a conversation about the Oscars Fashion or winners.  I'm excited to hear who you think was best dressed, so comment, follow me if you don't already, let's talk Oscar fashion.

BAFTA Awards 2014 - Red Carpet's Best

The 2014 BAFTA Awards, which took place at the Royal Opera House in London, brought out big Hollywood stars.  The awards brought out some really beautiful gowns, as well as quite a few modern looks.  Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt both wore fresh looks (left), as she walked the red carpet in a Saint Laurent black suit with a white tuxedo shirt and undone silk tie, and Brad Pitt wore Valentino.

Lupita Nyong'o nominated for 
12 Years a Slave

Lupita Nyong'o was stunning in Dior Haute Couture, the emerald color making her a standout on the red carpet and my choice for best dressed.  The gold-belted gown looked fabulous on her, and those gold wrists cuffs were divine.  She just glowed and exuded sheer beauty and power.

My runner up for best dressed has to go to Amy Adams.  She was perfection in Victoria Beckham.  Her hair and makeup were great with the dress.  American Hustle won BAFTA Awards for Best Original Screenplay, as well as for Best Hair and Makeup.  

Amy Adams, nominated for  
American Hustle

My honorable mention MUST go to the elegant and forever classy Cate Blanchett, who in a floral Alexander McQueen gown stepped onto the red carpet already looking like a winner.  She was wearing Chopard Jewels, and as is always the case, she dazzled.

She won the BAFTA for Best Actress for her role in Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen's movie about an New York socialite who moves into her sister's modest San Francisco apartment to try and put her life back together again after her marriage to a wealthy businessman falls apart.    

Cate Blanchett, BAFTA winner
 for Best Actress, Blue Jasmine

Cate Blanchett's very touching acceptance speech was dedicated to the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away on February 2nd.  In her speech, she said he had been "a monumental presence and was now, so sadly, an absence."  She continued, as if she were speaking to the late Hoffman, saying "your monumental talent, your generosity and your unflinching quest for truth, not just in art but in life, will be missed . . ."  Ms.  Blanchett told the audience that Philip Seymour Hoffman raised the bar continually, and then went on to say, "Phil, buddy, this is for you . . . I hope you're proud."

12 Years a Slave took home the BAFTA Award for Best Film, and Gravity won for best British Film.  You can find a full list of winners on the BBC News Entertainment site here: 

BAFTA Winners

Do you have a favorite look from the BAFTA awards?  Take the poll at the top right of the page.  Results will be posted soon.  Leave your comments and follow me for more fashion news this awards season, movie reviews, reports on fashion in film and more!  

(pictures courtesy of hollywoodlife.com)