LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ruth E. Carter has made history once more.
With her Oscar nomination for “Sinners,” Carter has become the most-nominated Black woman in Academy Awards history across any category, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed Thursday. The trailblazing costume designer was recognized for her work on Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic, set in the Jim Crow-era Mississippi Delta.
“It’s ... pride, gratitude, responsibility,” Carter told The Associated Press. She previously won Oscars for “Black Panther” in 2018 and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in 2023, becoming the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards.
Carter is now a five-time nominee, surpassing Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis. She is tied with longtime collaborator Spike Lee and Morgan Freeman for the third-most nominations among Black creatives, behind the late Quincy Jones and Denzel Washington.
“This is a major step in the development of our voices in Hollywood,” she said.
Over her career, Carter has shaped the visual language of some of Hollywood’s most influential films. She earned Oscar nominations for her work on Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” and Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad,” and received acclaim for period ensembles in projects including “The Butler,” “Selma” and the reboot of “Roots.” Her designs have also been worn by Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy and Jerry Seinfeld, including for the original “Seinfeld” pilot.
“My trajectory has been about telling the story of culture,” Carter said. “Our history is being erased as we speak. So to have this responsibility of telling our stories — and being as authentic as I can — and being awarded for it, is a celebration.”
In “Sinners,” Carter said she approached costume design as an act of protection rather than embellishment, determined to safeguard the visual truth of Black working-class life, particularly sharecroppers and migrants of the early 20th century.
“We made something out of nothing,” she said. “There were hand-me-downs. There were patches. If the pants were long, we turned them up. If the hem was crooked, we left it. We wanted to show how we took things for what they were and still found a way to celebrate.”
The nomination marks another collaboration with Coogler, whom Carter credits as a vital voice for the future of Black cinema.
“I thank the Lord that Ryan Coogler was born,” she said with a laugh. “Because he continues to tell stories that are important to the culture.”
Carter said the nomination also reflects staying power in an industry often defined by reinvention.
“I was the first to be nominated. I was the first to win. And I’m still in the game,” she said. “If my being here tells young designers anything, I hope it’s that this isn’t a fluke. It’s hard work. It’s voice. It’s vision. And it’s staying.”
FILE - Ruth E. Carter appears at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Jan. 4, 2026, (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 11, 2026--
New primary research data from Omdia reveals that media multitasking is no longer just a Gen Z habit. More than half of adults aged 45–54 now watch video clips on their mobile phones while watching television, highlighting a major shift in viewing behavior and the growing fragmentation of attention across screens.
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According to Omdia’s latest consumer research, 52% of US viewers aged 45–54 reported watching video clips on their phones while watching TV in November 2025, up from 39% in November 2022. The trend is also accelerating among even older viewers: 35% of those aged 55–64 now multitask with mobile video, compared with 20% three years ago.
The findings underscore how the second-screen phenomenon - once associated primarily with younger audiences - has rapidly expanded across older demographics.
Speaking at the Connected TV World Summit 2026 in London, Maria Rua Aguete, Senior Research Director at Omdia said: “Media multitasking is no longer something that happens only among under-34s. Today, more than half of viewers aged 45–54, are watching videos on their phones while watching TV. This is a fundamental shift in how audiences consume content.”
Younger viewers remain the most consistent multitaskers, but their behavior has largely stabilized. Among 18–24-year-olds, the share rose only slightly from 61% in 2022 to 63% in 2025, while 25–34-year-olds increased marginally from 60% to 61% over the same period. By contrast, the strongest growth is happening among older audiences who are rapidly adopting second-screen behaviors.
Rua Aguete added: “The biggest change is not among Gen Z - it’s among viewers aged 45 and over. Multitasking has moved into the mainstream. Audiences increasingly split their attention across multiple screens, which reflects shorter attention spans and the constant pull of mobile platforms.”
For streamers, broadcasters, and advertisers, this shift has major implications for content strategy and audience engagement.
“When it comes to streamers and broadcasters, the challenge is clear: attention is now fragmented. Winning audiences increasingly requires content ecosystems that extend beyond the TV screen and into mobile experiences where viewers are simultaneously consuming video, social media and short-form content. The platforms that succeed will be those that design programming, marketing and engagement strategies with mobile behavior in mind. TV is no longer a single-screen experience,” Rua Aguete concluded.
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Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, makes our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.
Over half of 45-54s watch videos on their phones while watching TV
