Paul Tazewell Makes History as First Black Man to Win Oscar for Best Costume Design

Nationwide — Paul Tazewell made history as the first African American man to win an Oscar award for Best Costume Design, earning the award for his work on Wicked. His latest achievement adds to his Emmy, Tony, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and Costume Designers Guild wins.

Tazewell previously received an Oscar nomination for the 2021 film West Side Story. He won an Emmy for The Wiz Live and a Tony for Hamilton. This award season alone, he secured major wins for his work in Wicked across multiple industry awards, according to Variety.

At the Oscars, Tazewell beat out other nominees including Arianne Phillips for A Complete Unknown, Linda Muir for Nosferatu, Lisy Christl for Conclave, and Janty Yates and David Crossman for Gladiator II.

Tazewell is only the second Black person to win in the category, following Ruth E. Carter, who won for Black Panther and its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

In his acceptance speech, Tazewell acknowledged the historic moment, expressing pride and gratitude to the Wicked cast and crew, especially Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

For Wicked, Tazewell designed over 1,000 costumes, with standout pieces including Glinda’s bubble dress and Elphaba’s iconic black dress.