It’s no wonder the camera caught actress Michele Yeoh crying after watching queer singer Cynthia Erivo (nominated for best actress) and Ariana Grande (nominated for best supporting actress) perform one of the much-loved songs from “Wicked,” as they were simply magnificent. 

Grande opened with Judy Garland’s  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Erivo sang “Home” from “The Wiz.” That was one of the many bright spots in the 97th annual Academy Awards, which took place Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

While the duo sadly didn’t take away any awards, the magical film did — gay costume designer Paul Tazewell won the Oscar for Best Costume Design.

“This is absolutely astounding,” Tazewell enthused onstage, in his acceptance speech. “Thank you Academy for this very significant honor. I’m the first Black man to receive a costume design award for my work on ‘Wicked.’ I’m so proud of this.” 

In the pressroom, Tazewell elaborated on his well deserved win.

“This is the pinnacle of my career. I’ve been designing costumes for over 35 years,” he said. “Much has been on Broadway and now into film, and the whole way through there was never a Black male designer that I saw that I could follow, that I could see as inspiration. And to realize that that’s actually me, it becomes a ‘Wizard of Oz’ moment, you know, it’s like no place like home. So to come back to the inspiration being inside of me was — is really remarkable.”

Tazewell said he achieved the award with the help of a lot of really amazing and talented costume artisans of all types and an amazing staff and assistants and crew.

“Because, you know, there’s no way for me to do it alone! And that also is my greatest joy — to be collaborating with other very talented artists, so I respect what that artistry is, and I share this with them because I value what their input is.”

The veteran costume designer knew the movie was going to be pretty spectacular, but he was “absolutely blown away,” because of their approach. 

“We were working on two films at the same time. It wasn’t until I actually saw a pretty complete cut that I actually experienced the journey that we have created for audiences. And so, to experience that –I was beside myself. And it defined why I do costume design, why I am a costume designer.”

“Wicked” also won the Oscar for Best Production Design.

“Emilia Pérez,” Netflix’s mesmerizing Spanish language, trans crime musical, had a whopping 13 nominations, with first-time nominee Karla Sofia Gascón making history as the first trans woman to be nominated for best actress. This would have been the most nominated foreign film in the history of the Academy Awards.

Unfortunately, after the controversy surrounding her past tweets, the film only won two awards: for best supporting actress (Zoe Saldana) and best original song (“El Mal”).

While the U.S. is in an era of anti-trans political maneuvering, Sunday night’s broadcast included no mention of trans people.

In the pressroom, during an interview with “Emilia” composers Clément Ducol, Camille, and director Jacques Audiard, a journalist asked if anyone wanted to address what was happening. 

Speaking in French via a translator, Audiard said, “Since I didn’t win Best Film or Best Director, I didn’t have the opportunity to speak, but had I had that opportunity, I would have spoken up.”

Saldaña, who starred as Rita, a lawyer who gets enmeshed with the trans cartel leader’s transition, was thrilled to win.

“I am floored by this honor. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita. And talking about powerful women, my fellow nominees, the love and community that you have offered me is a true gift, and I will pay it forward. Thank you so much Jacques Audiard, you are forever a beloved character in my life. Thank you for taking the interest, thank you for being so curious about these women to tell this story to my cast and my crew of ‘Emilia Pérez.’”

Saldaña’s nephew is trans; a few weeks ago, while winning the best supporting actress at the BAFTAs, she told journalists that she was dedicating the award to him.

“I’m dedicating all of these awards and the film ‘Emilia Pérez’ to my nephew, Eli. He is the reason — they are the reason — I signed up to do this film in the first place,” she said. “So as the proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with my community of trans people.”

One of the highlights of the Palm Springs Film Festival was Joachim A. Lang’s beautiful German-language film, “John Cranko,” which tells the true story of the famed LGBTQ ballet choreographer. 

The film follows the South African-born Cranko, (played by Sam Riley) as he arrives in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1960, to be guest choreographer for the city’s ballet company after a very public scandal: his job at London’s Sadler’s Wells Ballet abruptly ended after he was prosecuted for committing a homosexual act in a public place. 

In the relaxed city of Stuttgart, Cranko is able to find refuge from his past and is embraced despite his unique lifestyle. He quickly rises to become the ballet director and a favorite of the audience, dedicating himself fully to his art and a vibrant social life. He engages in affairs, faces personal setbacks and deep crises, runs his office from the theater canteen, and affectionately refers to his company as “his children.”

Lang’s perspective

Cranko was a fascinating enigma to capture on screen, with a complicated, often manic, personality. Loved by his gifted dancers, he was extremely passionate about ballet, and creative in his artistry, yet cantankerous at times, often dealing with depression and a heavy alcohol intake.

Over the years, Lang had “intensive conversations” with companions and friends of Cranko, which greatly helped him with the script.

“I talked with Marcia Haydee, the great ballerina of the 20th century; Birgit Keil, equally famous; costume designer Jürgen Rose; and ballet dancer Vladimir Klos,” Lang told the Los Angeles Blade. “And especially ballet dancer Reid Anderson and administrator of the Stuttgart Ballet and holder of the rights to John Cranko’s ballets, Dieter Gräfe, both of whom lived with John Cranko.”

Many of them were on board when sadly, Cranko died somewhere over the Atlantic between America and Europe on the flight back from a guest performance of his ballet company in New York, in 1973, at the age of 45. 

For Lang, the biggest challenge was to realize his goal of making one of the first “real” ballet films. 

“A film that is really about this art–the film wants to be more than a biopic, it is an attempt to capture the soul of dance by portraying the life and work of this genius. It is a film about art and reality, it is about us humans, the time we have left and what drives us, it is about the great themes of being human, the longing for love, life and dying. It is a tribute to art and to the people who make it.”

Riley’s portrayal

Thefilm delves into the delicate nature of a lonely, fragile soul searching for love and recognition. It’s no wonder Riley, known for his mesmerizing role in “Control,” where he played Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, as well as “Rebecca” and “Maleficent,” is absolute perfection in the role.

“Sam Riley is one of the best actors,” acknowledged Lang. “I knew right away that only he could do it so well. I sent him the script. We met for an hour in a hotel in Berlin. It was clear then that we belonged together. He was world class. The greatest praise for him was when I showed the film to Cranko’s companions, they said: ‘John is back!’”

With so much archival footage, Riley was able to deeply immerse himself in the character.

“With John, there’s quite a lot of material, the (Stuttgart) Ballet had an archive of stuff, so I got all of his old performances with the original cast. And there was quite a lot of footage of him at work, choreographing and directing. I watched as much as they had. Rather than mimic it, you just try and absorb it somehow.”

Because ‘ballet is such a universal thing,” Riley really hopes the film can do well outside of Germany.

“What I found most inspirational about being in the film was something that I wasn’t really expecting. I think, like a lot of guys, I had grown up with a sort of unconscious prejudice against ballet. I’d never actually been to see one my whole life, until I went to be a part of this. I just assumed it was something not for me. I like rock and roll music and movies and things.” 

But it was in watching the young dancers rehearse that touched Riley’s heart.

“Realizing that they’ve been dedicating their lives to this art form since they were little children, the effort that they put into it every day, the work ethic, and that something that still exists today, just a pure dedication to something — that’s beautiful … They are performing for the love of it. And it moved me every day, really, watching them do it. Every scene, they really throw absolutely everything into it. They were completely exhausted. And it was really inspiring.”

The 43rd annual Queen of Hearts drag pageant was held at The Lodge in Boonsboro, Md. on Friday, Feb. 21. Five contestants vied for the title of Queen of Hearts 2025, and Dee Dee Dereon won the crown.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)