Biography
Ruth E. Carter is an American costume designer for film and television. Born on 10 April 1960 in Springfield, Massachusetts, she graduated from Hampton University with a BA in 1982 and began her career in theatre before moving into film.
She is known for her work with directors including Spike Lee, John Singleton and Ryan Coogler. Her credits include Do the Right Thing (1989), Malcolm X (1992), Amistad (1997), Serenity (2005), The Butler (2013), Selma (2014), Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Sinners (2025).
Carter has received five Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design, winning twice for the Black Panther films and becoming the first African-American to win in the category. Her fifth nomination, for Sinners, made her the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history. She also received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the 2016 miniseries Roots and the Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award.
