Paul Tazewell made history on Sunday night as the first Black man to win to an Oscar for costume design. After hugging presenter Bowen Yang, who was wearing one of his Wicked costumes on stage, Tazewell took a moment to talk about how significant this award is for him.

Wicked's costume designer Paul Tazewell made history at the 2025 Oscars March 2, hosted by Conan O’Brien, as he became the first Black man to win the trophy.

Paul Tazewell made history at the Oscars, becoming the first Black man to win best costume design. Tazewell won for his design work in “Wicked” at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday.

Receiving his award, Tazewell was celebrated by the film's star, Cynthia Erivo, who jumped to her feet to clap

Oscar-award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell brought sketches to life in dozens of theater productions in Minneapolis. “There’s just an energy and a presence in the work that was just recognizable and was just elevated so far above so many of us,