Hannah Beachler’s Oscar speech for Best Production Design for Black Panther was one of the most heartfelt and meaningful of the night. A lot of people praised Beachler’s co-designer, Jay Hart, for letting Beachler have that moment. After seeing their backstage press conference, he might just be a shy guy who is more comfortable letting her speak. He clearly adores her and kept smiling and nodding while she was speaking. If it was him speaking instead of her, we would assume he was the leader, right? So she’s the leader and she just earned an Oscar for her role in creating one of the most immersive and convincing environments on screen. I really enjoyed her interview backstage and wanted to discuss it! (The part I quote below starts at about 3 minutes into the video which is also embedded below.)

At the art directors guild and tonight you talked about finding those moments where you stayed stronger. Could you reflect about those points where you felt insecure?
Everyone goes moments of struggle and depression ‘this is so hard I’m not going to be able to make it and do it.’ It’s really about the people you surround yourself with. So having Jay, having Victoria Alonso [producer] and Kevin Feige [president of Marvel] and Nate Moore [producer] and Ryan Coogler [director] and Lindsay Coogler. Their being patient and lifting me up every day, that’s how you get through it. It’s like eating an elephant one spoonful at a time because Panther was ginormous. There was a lot to do and a lot of research. A 500 page bible. It was nonstop so you lean on the people that you love and that are family. I would consider Ryan and everyone on Panther part of my family.

Sandra from The Root: I predicted [during our interview] that a little black girl was going to be inspired by you. What would you say to her for the future of production design?
Don’t ever let anybody tell you you can’t do this craft. You are worthy and you are beautiful and this is something for you.

Was there any advice that you were given that changed the course of your career?
The advice that changed everything for me was when I arrived in Oakland all those years ago with Ryan on the first day. He said ‘just be honest and be truthful and be you. If you’re not yourself this is never going to work.’

What resonated with you when you first stepped on Black Panther’s [finished] set?
The first set I walked on to that was completed was the casino. I was driving into work and I knew that they were finishing up the night before. The stage door happened to be opened. I thought ‘let me pull over and walk in.’ Nobody was there and the lights were on. I walked in, and I walked to the middle of that set and I just fell to my knees and cried. I never thought that I would have that opportunity to do something on that scale. I never saw anyone like me have an opportunity to do something like that on that scale. I attribute that to Ryan Coogler and Marvel films. It felt like it does now.

That last story! Now I’m crying and inspired. I also could relate so much to what she said about struggling and leaning on your coworkers and considering them family. I love Kaiser and Hecate so much and I miss the people we used to work with like Corey and Bedhead and still think about them a lot. You do feel connected and supported by your coworkers and consider them family. For as much trash as the Oscars were this year by rewarding that POS movie, we still have Hannah and also Black Panther’s costume designer, Ruth E. Carter. We know Spike Lee and Ryan Coogler directed the best movies and we know that there are more to come because they were successful.

Photos credit: WENN