Oscar winner visits UTRGV

Ruth Carter discusses the creative process surrounding the production of costume designs for Marvel’s “Black Panther,” Monday at the PlainsCapital Bank Student Union Theater in Edinburg. Carter spoke in detail of the African cultural influence that drove the inspiration for the film’s costumes. AALIYAH GARZA/THE RIDER PHOTOS

Updated 4:15 p.m. March 5, 2020

Ruth Carter, an Academy Award-winning costume designer, spoke to the UTRGV community about her work Monday in the PlainsCapital Bank Student Union Theater on the Edinburg campus.

Carter was one of the 2019-2020 Distinguished Speaker Series guests.

The Oscar winner shared her thought process and insights for creating costumes for her most famous work in Marvel’s 2018 film, “Black Panther.” She explained how she took inspiration from traditional African clothing and modernized them to fit into the world of Wakanda, the futuristic home country of fictional superhero Black Panther.

“Another thing that was very important was to connect ‘Black Panther’ to Africa,” Carter said. “We came up with an idea. … His suit would be designed with a little triangle. We call that triangle the Okavango triangle. It means the mother, the father and the child in Africa. So, once we found that triangle shape … you can see … that he was a part of Wakanda and a part of Africa.”

At the 2019 Academy Awards, Carter became the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design for “Black Panther.” However, she has also won other awards. This year she won a Satellite Award for Best Costume Design and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Costume Design for the 2019 film, “Dolemite Is My Name.”

Ruth Carter has worked on several films since 1988 and has partnered with acclaimed Hollywood director Spike Lee on several of his films. In 2019, Carter was the first African American to win an Oscar for best costume design for Marvel’s film, “Black Panther.”

On Tuesday, Carter attended theatre/television/film Assistant Professor Jennifer Saxton’s costume design class. She spoke to students about her design process to get insight into her career.

“I wanted to show them how I process script,” she said in an interview after the class. “I think for the most part, I wanted to instill a sense of empowerment in them that individuality is really what drives you. … You just need to learn … and be a passionate student.”

Saxton said she was excited about Carter visiting her costume design class on the Edinburg campus.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity for them to talk to a working professional,” she said. “I just really want to thank the committee for inviting her, and just really extend our appreciation on behalf of our students that they thought of theatre/TV/film when they picked a selection for the Distinguished Speaker Series.”

During Monday’s lecture, Carter shared her experience of when she was in college and how she changed majors her junior year. She connected with students by answering some of their questions at the end of her talk.

Leo Quiroz, a theatre junior, attended the event because his costume design professor encouraged him to come.

“It’s really nice to know somebody else’s experience before you start your own,” Quiroz said. “When you see somebody who’s accomplished so much … it just motivates you to want to keep doing that and not stop.”

Carter said she enjoyed visiting UTRGV and the Rio Grande Valley and hopes she has inspired students to continue in their career.

“I hope I’ve left some tidbits of knowledge or some insight,” she said Tuesday. “I know that some of you will move on to do some great, great things and I believe in you.”

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