Seven years ago, Ohio native Hannah Beachler made history as the first Black production designer to win an Academy Award. Soon, she will return to the Dolby Theatre with her second nomination − this time for “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler’s 2025 vampire drama that leads all films with 16 nominations. She is up for best production design.
Beachler, who grew up in the Dayton suburb of Centerville, will once again represent Ohio and Greater Cincinnati on Hollywood’s biggest night, March 15. But even after breaking barriers in her field, Beachler said she’s still processing the impact of her work on the film industry.
“I’d like to think there’s an impact. Certainly, people have talked to me about how it’s inspired them, and that’s the most I know, and I think that that’s fabulous. That’s really what I want my work to do,” Beachler said.
Her career has Cincinnati roots
Beachler, a Dayton native, earned a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures from Wright State University in 2005. After graduation, she moved to New Orleans, where her professional career in production design took off.
Her early work included “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed,” both directed by Coogler. She also collaborated on Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” which earned a 2016 Academy Award for best picture, Don Cheadle’s “Miles Ahead” and Todd Haynes’ “Dark Waters.” The latter two filmed in Cincinnati.
But her Cincinnati connections run deeper than the credits on her IMDB page.
Beachler spent more than a decade in Cincinnati during the 1990s. Many of those years were spent studying fashion design at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), where she became involved in the city’s music scene.
She collaborated on the DIY film “Grrrrrrl Possy,” shot inside a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store, per Variety. She also made music videos for local musician Dana Hamblen’s band Ditchweed.
“I didn’t have the language for what I was doing,” Beachler said. “I was, what now I would say, is the art director, and I really enjoyed it. I loved making these worlds. It was just this made-up fantasy.”
While at UC, she also worked at Hasbro Toys and LaRosa’s Pizza. She and her friends spent time at Daniels Pub, Bogart’s and Sudsy Malone’s Rock & Roll Laundry & Bar.
Her son, Dominic, attended St. Xavier High School and Mercy Montessori, and he still considers Cincinnati home. When she visits, she said she always has to drive down Short Vine and McMillan streets because the Clifton area was such a “hefty part” of her life.
“There was so much energy and vibrancy and freedom that you don’t get everywhere (else),” she said. “It was a really special time, and it shaped me 100% who I was (at) that time in Cincinnati. I went through all the life changes in Cincinnati.”
She has worked with Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan and Beyoncé
Beachler is not in front of the camera. Instead, she uses her talents and imagination to create the physical worlds seen in many blockbuster hits.
Beyond her film work, Beachler designed Beyoncé’s visual album, “Lemonade,” and the singer’s concert documentary, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” She also made her Broadway debut with the 2024 revival of “The Wiz,” directed by fellow Dayton native Schele Williams.
“Whether she’s working on a hundred‑million‑dollar Marvel franchise, or she’s working on a very small movie, or she’s working on a Broadway show, her dedication, her attention to specificity is always there,” Williams said. “She gives the same passion to whatever project she’s working on.”
Beachler is largely known for her work alongside Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan.
Her partnership with the 39-year-old filmmaker began on the 2013 drama “Fruitvale Station,” the breakout role for Jordan. Beachler, Coogler and Jordan reunited on “Creed,” “Black Panther” and now “Sinners,” for which the trio has all received Oscar noms.
“I think we caught each other at a moment where it was a lot of honesty with how we wanted to work,” Beachler said. “We were able to build how we worked together and still stay challenging each other.”
Oscar-winner Hannah Beachler is opening doors for other Black creatives in Hollywood
Beachler never set out to become a trailblazer. She simply wanted to build worlds that honored the stories being told and had meaning to viewers beyond the screen.
“To set something in a place, even if it’s very general and broad, you have to be right and accurate, because you’re telling somebody else’s story,” she said. “In ‘Sinners,’ these are my ancestors that I’m talking about. This is what they envisioned for our future − for us to be able to tell their stories.”
Beachler told the Dayton Daily News in February that she “never thought in a million years” she would have been nominated for an Oscar, let alone win one. Although she’s still trying to wrap her head around how far she has come, she recognizes her achievements resonate far beyond her own career.
Williams said Beachler continues to influence other Black creatives − not only through her work, but through the visibility that comes with her success.
“There are many, many, many people who deserve that opportunity to be seen and to be valued as artists. So it does matter,” Williams said. “She opens doors, she creates conversation around her work, and that creates opportunity.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Cincinnati helped shape ‘Sinners’ Oscar nominee Hannah Beachler
Reporting by Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
