The Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling is the Academy Award given to the best achievement in makeup and hairstyling for film. Traditionally, three films have been nominated each year with exceptions in the early 1980s and 2002 when there were only two nominees; in 1999, when there were four nominees. Beginning with the 92nd Academy Awards, five films were nominated.
The competitive category was created in 1981 as the Academy Award for Best Makeup, after the academy received complaints that the makeup work in The Elephant Man (1980) was not being honored. Although no award was given to The Elephant Man, an entire category dedicated to honoring makeup effects in film was created for subsequent ceremonies. Previously, makeup artists were only eligible for special achievement awards for their work.
Ahead of nominations, a shortlist of titles is chosen by the makeup branch's executive committee and clips are screened by the members of the branch at an annual "bake-off." After only two films were shortlisted in 2002, rules were installed requiring that seven finalists be chosen each year with the top three becoming nominees. Beginning in 2020, the shortlist expanded from seven finalists to ten.
In 2012, the category was given its current name for use in the 85th Academy Awards and onward. Makeup artist Rick Baker holds the record for both most wins (7) and most nominations (11) for this award.
Special Achievement Awards Before 1981, Special Achievement Oscars were twice awarded to makeup artists for their work on a specific film:
1964 – William J. Tuttle for 7 Faces of Dr. Lao 1968 – John Chambers for Planet of the Apes
Hairstylists Starting in 1993, the award is to be shared with hairstylists if hair effects "contribute greatly to the appearance and effect of the characters".
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are always held the following year. Films in dark blue background have received a Special/Honorary Award; those in yellow background have won a regular Academy Award of Merit.
1960s Year Film Nominees1964(37th) 7 Faces of Dr. Lao William J. Tuttle1968(41st) Planet of the Apes John Chambers
1980s Year Film Nominees1981(54th) An American Werewolf in London Rick Baker Heartbeeps Stan Winston1982(55th) Quest for Fire Sarah Monzani and Michèle Burke Gandhi Tom Smith1984(57th) Amadeus Paul LeBlanc and Dick Smith 2010: The Year We Make Contact Michael Westmore Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Rick Baker and Paul Engelen1985(58th) Mask Michael Westmore and Zoltan Elek The Color Purple Ken Chase Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins Carl Fullerton1986(59th) The Fly Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis The Clan of the Cave Bear Michael Westmore and Michèle Burke Legend Rob Bottin and Peter Robb-King1987(60th) Harry and the Hendersons Rick Baker Happy New Year Bob Laden1988(61st) Beetlejuice Ve Neill, Steve La Porte, and Robert Short Coming to America Rick Baker Scrooged Thomas R. Burman and Bari Dreiband-Burman1989(62nd) Driving Miss Daisy Manlio Rocchetti, Lynn Barber, and Kevin Haney The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Maggie Weston and Fabrizio Sforza Dad Dick Smith, Ken Diaz, and Greg Nelson
1990s Year Film Nominees1990(63rd) Dick Tracy John Caglione Jr. and Doug Drexler Cyrano de Bergerac Michèle Burke and Jean-Pierre Eychenne Edward Scissorhands Ve Neill and Stan Winston1991(64th) Terminator 2: Judgment Day Stan Winston and Jeff Dawn Hook Christina Smith, Monty Westmore, and Greg Cannom Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Michael Mills, Edward French, and Richard Snell1992(65th) Bram Stoker's Dracula Greg Cannom, Michèle Burke, and Matthew W. Mungle Batman Returns Ve Neill, Ronnie Specter, and Stan Winston Hoffa Ve Neill, Greg Cannom, and John Blake1993(66th) Mrs. Doubtfire Greg Cannom, Ve Neill, and Yolanda Toussieng Philadelphia Carl Fullerton and Alan D'Angerio Schindler's List Christina Smith, Matthew W. Mungle, and Judith A. Cory1994(67th) Ed Wood Rick Baker, Ve Neill, and Yolanda Toussieng Forrest Gump Daniel C. Striepeke, Hallie D'Amore, and Judith A. Cory Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Daniel Parker, Paul Engelen, and Carol Hemming1995(68th) Braveheart Peter Frampton, Paul Pattison, and Lois Burwell My Family Ken Diaz and Mark Sanchez Roommates Greg Cannom, Bob Laden, and Colleen Callaghan1996(69th) The Nutty Professor Rick Baker and David LeRoy Anderson Ghosts of Mississippi Matthew W. Mungle and Deborah La Mia Denaver Star Trek: First Contact Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler, and Jake Garber1997(70th) Men in Black Rick Baker and David LeRoy Anderson Mrs Brown Lisa Westcott, Veronica Brebner, and Beverley Binda Titanic Tina Earnshaw, Greg Cannom, and Simon Thompson1998(71st) Elizabeth Jenny Shircore Saving Private Ryan Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, and Daniel C. Striepeke Shakespeare in Love Lisa Westcott and Veronica Brebner1999(72nd) Topsy-Turvy Christine Blundell and Trefor Proud Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Michèle Burke and Mike Smithson Bicentennial Man Greg Cannom Life Rick Baker
2000s Year Film Nominees2000(73rd) How the Grinch Stole Christmas Rick Baker and Gail Ryan The Cell Michèle Burke and Edouard F. Henriques Shadow of the Vampire Ann Buchanan and Amber Sibley2001(74th) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Peter Owen and Richard Taylor A Beautiful Mind Greg Cannom and Colleen Callaghan Moulin Rouge! Maurizio Silvi and Aldo Signoretti2002(75th) Frida John E. Jackson and Beatrice De Alba The Time Machine John M. Elliott Jr. and Barbara Lorenz2003(76th) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Richard Taylor and Peter King Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Edouard F. Henriques and Yolanda Toussieng Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Ve Neill and Martin Samuel2004(77th) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Valli O'Reilly and Bill Corso The Passion of the Christ Keith VanderLaan and Christien Tinsley The Sea Inside Jo Allen and Manuel García2005(78th) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Howard Berger and Tami Lane Cinderella Man David LeRoy Anderson and Lance Anderson Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley2006(79th) Pan's Labyrinth David Martí and Montse Ribé Apocalypto Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano Click Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso2007(80th) La Vie en Rose Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald Norbit Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Ve Neill and Martin Samuel2008(81st) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Greg Cannom The Dark Knight John Caglione Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan Hellboy II: The Golden Army Mike Elizalde and Thomas Floutz2009(82nd) Star Trek Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, and Joel Harlow Il divo Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano The Young Victoria Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore
2010s Year Film Nominees2010(83rd) The Wolfman Rick Baker and Dave Elsey Barney's Version Adrien Morot The Way Back Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk, and Yolanda Toussieng2011(84th) The Iron Lady Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland Albert Nobbs Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston, and Matthew W. Mungle Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight, and Lisa Tomblin2012(85th) Les Misérables Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell Hitchcock Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, and Martin Samuel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater, and Tami Lane2013(86th) Dallas Buyers Club Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Stephen Prouty The Lone Ranger Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny2014(87th) The Grand Budapest Hotel Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier Foxcatcher Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard Guardians of the Galaxy Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White2015(88th) Mad Max: Fury Road Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared Love Larson and Eva von Bahr The Revenant Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman, and Robert Pandini2016(89th) Suicide Squad Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini, and Christopher Nelson A Man Called Ove Eva von Bahr and Love Larson Star Trek Beyond Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo2017(90th) Darkest Hour Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, and Lucy Sibbick Victoria & Abdul Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard Wonder Arjen Tuiten2018(91st) Vice Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe, and Patricia Dehaney Border Göran Lundström and Pamela Goldammer Mary Queen of Scots Jenny Shircore, Marc Pilcher, and Jessica Brooks2019(92nd) Bombshell Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker Joker Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou Judy Jeremy Woodhead Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, and David White 1917 Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis, and Rebecca Cole
2020s Year Film Nominees2020/21(93rd) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Sergio López-Rivera, Mia Neal, and Jamika Wilson Emma Marese Langan, Laura Allen, and Claudia Stolze Hillbilly Elegy Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle, and Patricia Dehaney Mank Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri, and Colleen LaBaff Pinocchio Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli, and Francesco Pegoretti2021(94th) The Eyes of Tammy Faye Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh Coming 2 America Mike Marino, Stacey Morris, and Carla Farmer Cruella Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne, and Julia Vernon Dune Donald Mowat, Love Larson, and Eva von Bahr House of Gucci Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock, and Frederic Aspiras2022(95th) The Whale Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Annemarie BradleyAll Quiet on the Western Front Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová The Batman Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, and Mike Fontaine Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Camille Friend and Joel Harlow Elvis Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, and Aldo Signoretti2023(96th) Poor Things Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier, and Josh Weston Golda Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby, and Ashra Kelly-Blue Maestro Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou, and Lori McCoy-Bell Oppenheimer Luisa Abel Society of the Snow Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí, and Montse Ribé2024(97th) The Substance Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli A Different Man Mike Marino, David Presto, and Crystal Jurado Emilia Pérez Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier, and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini Nosferatu David White, Traci Loader, and Suzanne Stokes-Munton Wicked Frances Hannon, Laura Blount, and Sarah Nuth2025(98th) Frankenstein Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey Kokuho Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino and Tadashi Nishimatsu Sinners Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry The Smashing Machine Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein The Ugly Stepsister Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg
Shortlisted finalists Finalists for Best Makeup & Hairstyling are selected by the Makeup & Hairstylists Branch. Ten films are shortlisted. Prior to the 92nd Academy Awards, up to seven films were shortlisted. The full membership of the Makeup & Hairstylists Branch is invited to view excerpts and is provided with supporting information at a "bake-off" where balloting determines the five nominees. These are the additional films that presented at the bake-off.