Oscars history made as Sinners designer sets new nomination record

Ruth E Carter has once again etched her name into Academy Awards history, becoming the most-nominated Black woman across all categories with her latest nod for Sinners, which achieved a record 16 nominations overall.

The acclaimed costume designer was recognised for her work on Ryan Coogler’s blues-infused vampire epic, set in the Jim Crow-era Mississippi Delta.

This marks Carter's fifth Oscar nomination, surpassing Viola Davis. She now stands alongside long-time collaborator Spike Lee and Morgan Freeman as one of the three most-nominated Black creatives, trailing only the late Quincy Jones and Denzel Washington.

Carter previously secured two Academy Awards for her designs in Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2023), becoming the first Black woman to achieve this.

Reflecting on her latest achievement, Carter told The Associated Press: "It’s ... pride, gratitude, responsibility." She added, "This is a major step in the development of our voices in Hollywood."

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Her career has seen Carter shape the visual language of influential films, with prior Oscar nominations for Spike Lee’s "Malcolm X" and Steven Spielberg’s "Amistad." Her acclaimed period ensembles include The Butler, Selma and the Roots reboot. Her designs have dressed Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy, and Jerry Seinfeld, including for the original "Seinfeld" pilot.

"My trajectory has been about telling the story of culture," Carter explained. "Our history is being erased as we speak. So to have this responsibility of telling our stories — and being as authentic as I can — and being awarded for it, is a celebration."

For Sinners, Carter approached costume design as an act of protection, not embellishment, determined to safeguard the visual truth of Black working-class life, particularly sharecroppers and migrants of the early 20th century.

"We made something out of nothing," she stated. "There were hand-me-downs. There were patches. If the pants were long, we turned them up. If the hem was crooked, we left it. We wanted to show how we took things for what they were and still found a way to celebrate."

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This latest nomination marks another collaboration with Ryan Coogler, whom Carter credits as a vital voice for the future of Black cinema.

"I thank the Lord that Ryan Coogler was born," she remarked with a laugh, "Because he continues to tell stories that are important to the culture."

Carter believes the nomination also underscores her enduring presence in an industry often defined by reinvention.

"I was the first to be nominated. I was the first to win. And I’m still in the game," she affirmed. "If my being here tells young designers anything, I hope it’s that this isn’t a fluke. It’s hard work. It’s voice. It’s vision. And it’s staying."