The Oscars has added many different award categories across its history, with one being added after the success of a 1980s drama, The Elephant Man. The Academy Awards are easily the most prestigious awards in the movie industry, with the first ceremony taking place in 1929. Across the history of the Academy Awards, there have been many award categories that have been added and retired across the years; most recently the award for Best Sound Editing, which was retired in 2019.
In 2024, the Oscars announced the creation of a new awards category that will recognize a movie's casting decision. The first Academy Award for Best Achievement In Casting will be awarded at the 98th ceremony in 2025; this is the first new award category since the creation of the Best Feature Film category in 2001. Further new categories may be created in the future as seen in the movie industry's campaign for a Best Stunt Award. In 1980, backlash and campaigning from critics led the Academy to create a new award after the success of The Elephant Man.
How The Elephant Man Led To The Academy Awards Adding A New Category
The Elephant Man Received 8 Oscar Nominations In 1981
The black-and-white drama movie The Elephant Man was released in 1980. Starring John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins, the movie depicts the true story of John Merrick, a man who lived with severe physical deformities in 19th century England; his physical appearance caused him to be ostracized and ridiculed by society, and he suffered difficulties with moving and sleeping (via Britannica). The movie depicts Merrick's life working as an exhibition in a freak show before he is found by surgeon Frederick Treves, and the two form a close friendship, while Treves learns more about Merrick's condition.
The Elephant Man was released to critical acclaim and is widely considered one of John Hurt's best movies. It received eight Oscar nominations in 1981, including for Best Picture. Many believed that make-up artist Christopher Tucker should have received recognition from the Academy for his work on recreating Merrick's physical appearance for the movie. However, at the time, there was no award category for recognizing makeup and special effects in a movie. The backlash for not recognizing The Elephant Man for its makeup effects was so extreme, that the Academy announced that it would create a new makeup award for future ceremonies.
Who Holds The Record For Most Best Makeup Wins Since Its Creation
The First Award For Best Makeup Was Given In 1982
Up until the 1980s, only special achievement awards were given to two makeup artists by the Academy; they were awarded to William J. Tuttle in 1964 for
7 Faces of Dr. Lao and John Chambers in 1968 for
Planet of the Apes . In 1981, the creation of the Academy Award for Best Makeup was announced, which allowed full recognition for makeup effects in movies. The first award was given at the 54th ceremony in 1982
to Rick Baker, who won for his work in An American Werewolf in London.
| 1982 | An American Werewolf In London | Won |
| 1985 | Greystokes: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes | Nominated |
| 1988 | Harry and the Hendersons | Won |
| 1989 | Coming to America | Nominated |
| 1995 | Ed Wood | Won |
| 1997 | The Nutty Professor | Won |
| 1998 | Men In Black | Won |
| 2000 | Life | Nominated |
| 2001 | How The Grinch Stole Christmas | Won |
| 2008 | Norbit | Nominated |
| 2011 | The Wolfman | Won |
Since its creation,
Rick Baker holds the record for most Oscar nominations for Best Makeup , receiving 11 nominations between 1982 and 2011. He also holds the record for most wins, winning 7 times for his makeup effects in movies, including
Ed Wood ,
Men In Black and
The Wolfman, and is regarded as
one of the industry's best practical makeup artists. The most recent award was given at the 96th Oscars ceremony to Mark Coulier, Nadia Stacey and Josh Weston for their work in
Poor Things; while nominations have yet to be announced, this award at the Oscars would not have existed, had it not been for the success of
The Elephant Man in 1980.Source:
The Elephant Man is a 1980 film directed by David Lynch, chronicling the life of Joseph Merrick, known as John Merrick in the film. Set in 19th-century London, it follows a Victorian surgeon who discovers the intelligence and sensitivity behind Merrick's severe disfigurement.
Specifications
DirectorDavid Lynch (Person)Release Date1980-10-10CastAnthony Hopkins (Person), John Hurt (Person), Anne Bancroft (Person), John Gielgud (Person), Freddie Jones (Person), Michael Elphick (Person), Hannah Gordon (Person)RatingPGStream, Rent, Buy Links included
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English (US) ·