Paul Tazewell

Paul Tazewell ( TAZ-wel, born September 15, 1964) is an American costume designer for the theatre, dance, film, opera and television industry. After training at New York University Tisch School of the Arts he started his career on Broadway. He has since won an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and two Tony Awards. Tazewell made his Broadway debut as a costume designer with Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk in 1996. He went on to receive the Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical for Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton (2016) and Death Becomes Her (2025). His other Tony-nominated works include The Color Purple (2006), In the Heights (2008), Memphis (2010), A Streetcar Named Desire (2012), Ain't Too Proud (2019), MJ (2022), and Suffs (2024). For his work on Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (2021), Tazewell became the first African American male costume designer to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. He eventually won said award for his work on Wicked (2024) at the 97th Academy Awards. He has also received a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on The Wiz Live! (2016). Announced in November 2025, Paul Tazewell’s work will be showcased in an exhibition at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. The exhibition will feature artifacts from throughout his life and career including Wicked, West Side Story, and Hamilton.