Paul Tazewell

About

Fashion designer best recognized for his costume designs across films and theater productions. His costume design work has been featured in shows and productions such as Hamilton, West Side Story and Wicked.

Before Fame

At the North Carolina School of the Arts, he earned a BFA. He went on to earn an MFA at New York University. He started his career by working on Broadway shows before moving into film work. 

Trivia

His award wins include the Helen Hayes Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Princess Grace Award, and many others. Other Broadway productions that he has worked on include The Color Purple, In the Heights, Memphis, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Suffs. In 2025, he became the first Black man to win an Oscar for best costume design due to his work on the Wicked film adaptations. 

Family Life

He grew up in a creative household, and his mother was a painter. His brother, Jonathan Tazewell, is a film writer and director. He was married to Michael McAleer.

Associated With

His work for Steven Spielberg's film West Side Story helped him make history as the first African American male costume designer to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.