The Best Makeup and Hairstyling award has been one of the most unpredictable categories to date thanks in part to the lack of precursor awards. The Academy usually picks the best makeup based on how much prosthetics are used throughout film and never goes for subtle makeup. The category also remains the only race in the awards to choose three nominees instead of five. Previous winners include "The Iron Lady," "The Wolfman," "Star Trek," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
Hitchcock-The team behind "Hitchcock's" makeup and hairstyling includes Academy Award winner Herbert Berger (The Lion The witch and The Wardrobe), first time nominee Peter Montagna, and three-time Academy Award nominee Martin Samuel (Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 3). The film required prosthetics for Anthony Hopkins, who had the task of becoming the iconic filmmaker. The rest of the cast wore 1960s wigs. Hitchock is likely to win based on prior films with the same type of makeup. "The Iron Lady" and "La Vie en Rose" won because of the work done on the two female leads, which involved a complete transformation for the title role. Based on Oscar history, "Hitchcock" is the favorite to win this award.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey-"The Hobbit's" team was led by Academy Award winners Peter Swords ("The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"), Tami Lane ("The Lion The witch and The Wardrobe") and first time nominee Rick Findlater. The Academy previously gave the award for makeup to two of "The Lord of the Rings" movies and could sway towards "The Hobbit" as the makeup work is similar. However because the film is mostly CGI, the Academy could overlook the work and end up giving it to another film.
Les Miserables-Three time Academy Award Nominee Lisa Westcott and first time nominee Julie Dartnell lead the makeup team for the Best Picture nominee "Les Miserables." For the film Westcott stated that Jean Valijean's transformation throughout the film was daunting and difficult because he had to look decrepit, tired, and filthy. The team made teeth and extended Hugh Jackman's beard to get the look correctly. Westcott also stated that Anne Hathaway had to paint her teeth to make it seem as if they took her teeth out. For the Thenardiers, the makeup artists added a gold tooth to Sacha Baron Cohen's character. Overall "Les Miserables" could easily win because of its large scale and because it is also nominated for Best Picture. The last time a Best Picture was nominated in the makeup category was in 2009 when "The Curious Case Benjamin Button" won.
Prediction: "Les Miserables" does not seem primed to winning many awards at the Oscars but Makeup and Hairstyling seems like one it could easily win.
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