Ruth E. Carter

Costume & Make-Up

Ruth E. Carter

Born April 10, 1960 in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA60 films

Ruth E. Carter (born April 10, 1960) is an American costume designer for film and television. She is best known for her collaborations with Spike Lee, John Singleton, and Ryan Coogler. During her film career, Carter has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, for her work on Lee's biographical film Malcolm X (1992), Steven Spielberg's historical drama film Amistad (1997), and won twice for Coogler's Marvel superhero films Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022); becoming the first African-American to win and be nominated for Best Costume Design. She was nominated for a fifth time for her work in Coogler's Sinners (2025), breaking the record for most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history.

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Her other film credits include Do the Right Thing(1989), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Love & Basketball (2000), Serenity (2005), The Butler (2013), Selma (2014), Marshall (2017), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), and Coming 2 America (2021). She also received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Period Costumes for a Limited Series for her work on the 2016 miniseries Roots. Carter is the recipient of the Career Achievement Award from the Costume Designers Guild Awards, in addition to receiving two competitive awards from the organisation.

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The best way into Ruth E. Carter's work
Do the Right Thing posterFirst watchDo the Right Thing19897.8Their style at its most typical, and among their best-rated work.Sal is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Black Panther poster7.4Black Panther2018Sinners poster7.5Sinners2025Black Panther: Wakanda Forever poster7.0Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022Serenity poster7.4Serenity2005The Best of Me poster7.5The Best of Me2014The Butler poster7.3The Butler2013Malcolm X poster7.6Malcolm X1992Selma poster7.4Selma2014

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Rated by NookFilm members
Four Brothers poster6.8Four Brothers2005Sinners poster7.5Sinners2025

Filmography

60 films
  1. 2028Black Panther 3Costume Design
  2. 2027SnoopCostume Design
  3. 2027The Thomas Crown AffairCostume Design
  4. 2025The PickupCostume Design
  5. 2025SinnersCostume Design
  6. 2022Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverCostume Design
  7. 2021Coming 2 AmericaCostume Design
  8. 2019Dolemite Is My NameCostume Designer
  9. 2019Above SuspicionCostume Design
  10. 2018Black PantherCostume Design
  11. 2017MarshallCostume Design
  12. 2017KidnapCostume Designer
  13. 2016Keeping Up with the JonesesCostume Design
  14. 2015Chi-RaqCostume Design
  15. 2015Da Sweet Blood of JesusCostume Design
  16. 2014SelmaCostume Design
  17. 2014The Best of MeCostume Design
  18. 2013OldboyCostume Design
  19. 2013The ButlerCostume Design
  20. 2013Teen Beach MovieCostume Design
  21. 2012SparkleCostume Design
  22. 2011AbductionCostume Designer
  23. 2010Frankie & AliceCostume Design
  24. 2009Black DynamiteCostume Design
  25. 2009Bring It On: Fight to the FinishCostume Designer
  26. 2009Imagine ThatCostume Design
  27. 2009SpreadCostume Design
  28. 2008Meet DaveCostume Design
  29. 2005SerenityCostume Design
  30. 2005Four BrothersCostume Design
  31. 2004Against the RopesCostume Designer
  32. 2003Daddy Day CareCostume Design
  33. 2002I SpyCostume Design
  34. 2001Baby BoyCostume Design
  35. 2001Dr. Dolittle 2Costume Design
  36. 2000BamboozledCostume Design
  37. 2000ShaftCostume Design
  38. 2000Love & BasketballCostume Design
  39. 1999Summer of SamCostume Design
  40. 1998How Stella Got Her Groove BackCostume Design
  41. 1997AmistadCostume Design
  42. 1997B.A.P.SCostume Design
  43. 1997RosewoodCostume Design
  44. 1996The Great White HypeCostume Design
  45. 1995Money TrainCostume Design
  46. 1995ClockersCostume Design
  47. 1994CobbCostume Designer
  48. 1994CrooklynCostume Design
  49. 1994Surviving the GameCostume Design
  50. 1993The Meteor ManCostume Design
  51. 1993What's Love Got to Do with ItCostume Design
  52. 1992Malcolm XCostume Design
  53. 1991House Party 2Costume Designer
  54. 1991Jungle FeverCostume Design
  55. 1991The Five HeartbeatsCostume Design
  56. 1990Mo' Better BluesCostume Design
  57. 1990Spike & Co. Do It a-CappellaCostume Designer
  58. 1989Do the Right ThingCostume Design
  59. 1988I'm Gonna Git You SuckaCostume Design
  60. 1988School DazeCostume Designer