Charlese Antoinette Jones on Achieving Judas and the Black Messiah’s Revolutionary Look

The highly-anticipated Fred Hampton biopic Judas and the Black Messiah was released into the world on HBO Max last week. The film follows Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) as he successfully infiltrates the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party and befriends Party Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). With much of the film taking place in the late-’60s, we get a first-hand look at the Panthers’ iconic costume of a black leather jacket and beret while also paying homage to the classic knee-high boots and turtleneck combo worn by the everyday woman. The outfits capture both the authenticity, and flair, of the moment and the movement. Below, the film’s costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones breaks down her creative process, the research she embarked on before filming, and what it was like to work with and style this all-star cast. Read full interview.