Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Hannah Beachler is the first African American to win an Academy Award for best production design but she’s certain she will not be the last.
The Centerville High School graduate and Wright State University film and production design alumna received the Oscar for “Black Panther,” the game-changing Marvel blockbuster that redefined what Black artistry could be and achieve. The 2018 superhero movie earned $1.3 billion worldwide.
The first female production designer to work on a Marvel film and reportedly did so with a $30 million arts budget, Beachler is currently in Atlanta working on the highly anticipated sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Directed by Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station,” “Creed”), the film, reuniting much of the original cast, is expected to finish production in April and hit theaters in November.
As Black History Month is being observed, the history maker talked about her current project and reflected on her career.
“It’s another level – we’re taking it to another level,” said Beachler, 51. “Understanding the bar was set high, this wasn’t the time to rest on our laurels. This wasn’t the time to be complacent. We had to challenge ourselves and push ourselves even more and dig deeper within everything.”
