Best Production Design
Photo depicts Oscar® winners from 2019-2023. Action Press; Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP; Chris Pizzello/Pool/AP; Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com
Gender
Out of 1,588 nominees for Best Production Design, 13% were women.* The first woman was nominated in 1942 (Julia Heron), with the first winner in 1949 (Carmen Dillon). Thirty-three women have won an Oscar® for Best Production Design.
87%
of nominees were men
13%
of nominees were women
Eight women of color have been nominated in this category. Only two have won the award.
The percentage of women nominated in this category has increased over time. From complete absence in the 1930’s, women comprised 50% or more of nominees across the last four years. Eight women of color have been nominated in this category and two have won. The first nomination for a woman of color was in 1986 (Shinobu Muraki), with the first of two wins in 2007 (Pilar Revuelta).
Forty-four women were nominated more than once in this category, compared to 240 men. In fact, 23 men had 10 or more nominations, with one man nominated 39 times (Cedric Gibbons). The most-nominated woman (Nancy Haigh) had 9 nominations. Overall, women were more likely to be nominated just once (60%) while just under half of men in this category (48%) received only one nomination. The only women of color to receive multiple nominations in this category are Florencia Martin and Hannah Beachler, both of whom received their second nomination in 2026.