Alexandra Byrne

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Alexandra Byrne
Born1962 (age 61–62)
NationalityBritish
OccupationCostume designer
Years active1995–present
Spouse
(m. 1980)
[1]
Children4[2]

Alexandra Byrne (born 1962) is an English costume designer. Much of her career has focused on creating costumes for

period dramas. These films include Persuasion (1995), Hamlet (1996), Elizabeth (1998), Finding Neverland (2004), The Phantom of the Opera (2004), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), The Aeronauts (2019), and Emma.[a] (2020). She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design
 six times, winning once for Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Since 2011, Byrne has also designed the costumes for many films in the

The Fantastic Four
(2025).

Life and career

Early life

Byrne was born in Hampshire, and grew up amidst many artistic influences. She was raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, where the Royal Shakespeare Company is based. She would later tell an interviewer that her career in theatre design was predestined,[4] and she began by studying architecture with the intention of building sets in theatre.[5][6] She encountered costume design when studying theatre design with the English National Opera. She later said, "I worked in the theatre for quite a few years, doing costume and set design. In England, it's very much both."[6] She also trained with the Motley Theatre Design Course.[7]

Byrne oversaw scenery and costumes for the 1989 comedy play Some Americans Abroad.

Shakespeare series. Byrne said, "I was assisting a costume designer who was fantastic with fabric. It was with her that I actually thought, 'This is what it's all about. This is what I want to do'".[6]

In 1993, Byrne created the costumes for all four parts of the TV serial The Buddha of Suburbia starring Naveen Andrews.[11][12] For her costume work in the production, she received a nomination at the British Academy Television Awards.[13]

Period films (1995–2007)

Byrne's first encounter with period costume dramas began when she was hired to create the costumes for the BBC film Persuasion. The production was an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Jane Austen, and featured Amanda Root as Anne Elliot.[4][14] Byrne had also worked with the film's director, Roger Michell, on Some Americans Abroad and The Buddha of Suburbia.[8][15] For her work in Persuasion, Byrne won the British Academy Television Award for Costume Design.[16] The following year, Byrne created the costumes for the 1996 film Hamlet directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh,[11] with whom she had previously worked on Life of Napoleon.[17] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.[18][19]

Australian Centre for the Moving Image
.

In 1998, Byrne served as the costume designer for the feature film

last Tudor monarch.[20] It featured high production values despite a limited budget.[21] Director Shekhar Kapur discouraged historical research on Byrne's part, instead favouring clothing that focused on emotion.[22] As a result, Byrne primarily designed costumes emphasising the theatrical rather than the historically accurate.[21] When analysing the film, the scholar Bethany Latham stated that the production's silhouettes were "understated and barely Elizabethan," as they were not meant to distract from the film's plot among viewers.[21] For Elizabeth, Byrne earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.[1]

Byrne oversaw the costumes for the 2004 film Finding Neverland starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.[4] After completing it, Byrne said that when she worked on "a period film, however conceptual a piece it is, I research the period completely so that I absolutely know it. There were photographs from the first production of Peter Pan and of the Llewelyn Davies family".[5] That year, Daily Variety reported that Byrne's "previous two Oscar noms make her a known commodity",[23] and she again garnered a nomination for Best Costume Design at the Academy Awards.[24]

Also in 2004, Byrne designed the costumes for the film The Phantom of the Opera.[25] As research, she studied relics of the era such as paintings and original clothing. Her visits to Paris also gave her inspiration. As her ideas developed and were discussed with the filmmakers, they were placed on a "mood board" of visuals for her to reference. She eventually created 300 original costumes for the main characters, and produced at least 2,000 additional costumes for those in the background.[26]

In 2007, Byrne designed the costumes for Elizabeth's sequel Elizabeth: The Golden Age, also starring Blanchett. As the sequel was set 27 years later, Byrne sought to create costumes for a confident queen "who has found her stride and established her style". Kapur did not feel Elizabeth: The Golden Age had to be historically accurate, giving Byrne the freedom to make his film "look very different, much lighter, with a more feminine court".[20] For her costume design work in the film, Byrne was again nominated for the Academy Award, this time winning.[1][27]

Marvel films (2011–2016)

Since 2011, much of Byrne's career has focused on films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her first contribution to the franchise, Thor (2011), resulted when she was hired by the film's director, Kenneth Branagh.[4][28] She had also worked with Branagh on previous productions such as Hamlet (1996)[29] and Sleuth (2007).[30] Byrne took inspiration from the Thor comics and the artwork of Jack Kirby, which she described as "amazing".[31] She later said that for Thor's character, "it's all about his arms".[32] After Thor, Byrne's next Marvel project was the 2012 film The Avengers, where she oversaw a team of over 60 people.[33]

She followed The Avengers with Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, which she described as having a "very retro, pulpy feel".[32] As with Thor, Byrne found much of her inspiration from the comics.[28] The production's main actor, Chris Pratt, was hired before he had lost enough body weight, forcing Byrne to anticipate what his physical form would become.[28] When describing Pratt's character Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, Byrne said he "was all about the swagger, but without vanity" and designed a red jacket for him that was heavily treated cotton, though it looked like real leather.[32] Her next project, Avengers: Age of Ultron, arrived in cinemas in May 2015.[32]

Byrne is the costume designer for the 2016 Marvel film

Cloak of Levitation, Byrne estimated that twelve different versions were completed by a team of designers. She sought to incorporate subtle details while avoiding making it "over-embellish[ed] and decorative".[37]

Personal life

Byrne married English actor Simon Shepherd in 1980.[citation needed]

Filmography

Year Title Director
1993 The Buddha of Suburbia Roger Michell
1995 Persuasion
1996 Hamlet Kenneth Branagh
1998 Elizabeth Shekhar Kapur
2001 Captain Corelli's Mandolin John Madden
2004 Finding Neverland Marc Forster
The Phantom of the Opera Joel Schumacher
2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age Shekhar Kapur
Sleuth Kenneth Branagh
2008 The Garden of Eden John Irvin
2011 Thor Kenneth Branagh
2012 The Avengers Joss Whedon
2014 300: Rise of an Empire Noam Murro
Guardians of the Galaxy James Gunn
2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron Joss Whedon
2016 Doctor Strange Scott Derrickson
2017 Murder on the Orient Express Kenneth Branagh
2018 Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle Andy Serkis
Mary Queen of Scots Josie Rourke
2019 The Aeronauts Tom Harper
2020 Emma. Autumn de Wilde
2021 The Mauritanian Kevin Macdonald
2022
Empire of Light
Sam Mendes
2023 The Flash Andy Muschietti
2025
The Fantastic Four
Matt Shakman

Awards and nominations

Major associations

List of Alexandra Byrne major associations awards
Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Academy Awards
1997 Best Costume Design Hamlet Nominated [38]
1999 Elizabeth Nominated [39]
2005 Finding Neverland Nominated [40]
2008 Elizabeth: The Golden Age Won [41]
2019 Mary Queen of Scots Nominated [42]
2021 Emma Nominated [43]
BAFTA Film Awards
1997 Best Costume Design Hamlet Nominated [44]
1999 Elizabeth Nominated [45]
2005 Finding Neverland Nominated [46]
2008 Elizabeth: The Golden Age Nominated [47]
2019 Mary Queen of Scots Nominated [48]
2021 Emma Nominated [49]
BAFTA Television Craft Awards
1994 Best Costume Design The Buddha of Suburbia Nominated [50]
1996 Persuasion Won [51]
Tony Awards
1990 Best Scenic Design Some Americans Abroad Nominated [52]

Other awards and nominations

List of Alexandra Byrne other awards and nominations
Award Year Category Title Result
Costume Designers Guild Awards
2005 Excellence in Period/Fantasy Film The Phantom of the Opera Nominated
2008 Excellence in Period Film Elizabeth: The Golden Age Nominated
2012 Excellence in Fantasy Film Thor Nominated
2015 Guardians of the Galaxy Nominated
2017 Doctor Strange Won
2018 Excellence in Period Film Murder on the Orient Express Nominated
2019 Mary Queen of Scots Nominated
2021 Emma Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2019 Best Costume Design Mary Queen of Scots Nominated
2021 Emma Nominated
Hollywood Creative Alliance
(Astra Film Creative Arts Awards)
2021 Best Costume Design Emma Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Awards 2021 Technical Achievement Award Emma Won
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2021 Best Costume Design Emma Won
Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2021 Variety Artisans Award Emma Won
Satellite Awards 1997 Best Costume Design Hamlet Nominated
1999 Elizabeth Won
2005 The Phantom of the Opera Nominated
2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age Won
2017 Doctor Strange Nominated
2018 Murder on the Orient Express Nominated
2019 Mary Queen of Scots Nominated
2021 Emma Nominated
2023 Empire of Light Nominated
Saturn Awards 2005 Best Costume Design The Phantom of the Opera Nominated
2012 Thor Won
2015 Guardians of the Galaxy Nominated
2016 Avengers: Age of Ultron Won
2017 Doctor Strange Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards 2021 Best Costume Design Emma Nominated

Notes

  1. period piece.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Alexandra's golden oscar win – at last". Bath Chronicle. 28 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  2. ^ Laws, Roz (14 June 2009). "In Oscar's Shadow; Simon Shepherd the Big Interview". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  3. ^ "Emma. director Autumn de Wilde explains the film's unusual punctuation". Radio Times.
  4. ^ a b c d McIntyre, Gina (February 2011). "Rule Britannia!". Los Angeles Times Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b Kung, Michelle; Cruz, Clarissa (31 January 2005). "Oscar's 2005 envelope pushers". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  6. ^ a b c Lindstrom, Jan (16 November 2004). "Alexandra Byrne: costume designer". Daily Variety. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  7. ^ "Motley Theatre Design Course". Motley Theatre Design Course. Archived from the original on 3 February 2006. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  8. ^ a b Guernsey & Sweet 1990, p. 379.
  9. ^ Gussow, Mel (12 February 1990). "Review/Theater; American Academics, Warts and All, Wallow in English Plays". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  10. ^ Guernsey & Sweet 1990, p. 556.
  11. ^ a b "Alexandra Byrne". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  12. ^ Harvey, Dennis (9 May 1994). "Review: 'The Buddha of Suburbia'". Variety. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  13. ^ "BAFTA Awards Search". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  14. ^ Elley, Derek (6 June 1995). "Review: 'Persuasion'". Variety. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  15. ^ "The Buddha of Suburbia (1993) Production Credits". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Television Craft - Costume Design in 1996". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  17. ^ "Alexandra Byrne". Independent Talent. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  18. ^ "The 69th Academy Awards – 1997". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  19. ^ "Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. Perform search for Alexandra Byrne to view results
  20. ^ a b Snead, Elizabeth (21 November 2007). "The Golden Age Of Costumes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  21. ^ a b c Latham 2011, p. 151.
  22. ^ Goodwin, Betty (13 November 1998). "Ball Gowns Fit for a Queen". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Costume design: the analysis". Daily Variety. 7 February 2005. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  24. ^ "The 77th Academy Awards – 2005". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  25. ^ Ebert, Roger (22 December 2004). "'Phantom' merits a look, but don't bother listening". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  26. ^ Molineaux, Sam (10 January 2005). "Phantom of the Opera.(Eye on the Oscars: the look)". Daily Variety. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015. (subscription required)
  27. ^ "The 80th Academy Awards – 2008". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  28. ^ a b c Ryan, Mike (1 August 2014). "'It's Sort of Liberace Meets Billy Idol': The Costumes Of 'Guardians Of The Galaxy'". Screen Crush. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  29. ^ Thomas, Kevin (25 December 1996). "Branagh Acts 'Hamlet' as the Bard Wrote It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  30. ^ Koehler, Robert (31 August 2007). "Sleuth". Daily Variety. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (subscription required)
  31. ^ Burke 2015, p. 211.
  32. ^ a b c d Zemler, Emily (21 February 2015). "Alexandra Byrne Told Us What It Was Like to Make Costumes for Marvel's Biggest Movies". Esquire. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  33. ^ Atkinson, Nathalie (3 May 2012). "Leotards to Louboutins: Assembling The Avengers' costumes". National Post. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  34. ^ Collis, Clark (14 October 2016). "Benedict Cumberbatch reveals the movie magic behind his Doctor Strange costume". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  35. ^ Schaefer, Sandy (2014). "Marvel's Doctor Strange set to shoot in UK". Screen Daily. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  36. ^ Jayson, Jay (11 April 2015). "Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange Starts Filming In November". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  37. ^ Robinson, Joanna (3 November 2016). "Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange Starts Filming In November". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  38. ^ "69th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  39. ^ "71st Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  40. ^ "77th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  41. ^ "80th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  42. ^ "91st Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  43. ^ "93rd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  44. ^ "50th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  45. ^ "52nd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  46. ^ "58th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  47. ^ "61st British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  48. ^ "72nd British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  49. ^ "74th British Academy Film Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  50. ^ "40th British Academy Television Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  51. ^ "42nd British Academy Television Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  52. ^ "THE TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS / 1990". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

Works cited

External links