The Academy’s makeup category is one of two fields that calls for a whittling down of the contenders via a “bake-off.” Reels of the work from the seven finalists are screened, so an impressive assemblage is all you need. The work on the whole isn’t really being considered, so this can yield surprises in the field.
This year there were a couple of surprises to say the least. A little known foreign film pushed through while a costume drama that isn’t entirely memorable for its makeup (though perhaps is well-respected for hairstyling) also popped up. Meanwhile, the presumed frontrunner for the win — “District 9” — was snubbed outright, the general feeling being that CGI enhancement was its downfall.
The nominees are:
“Il Divo” (Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano)
“Star Trek” (Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow)
“The Young Victoria” (Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore)