25 days of Tonys: Bernhardt/Hamlet's Toni-Leslie James

Video25 days of Tonys: Bernhardt/Hamlet‘S toni-leslie jamesThe three times Tony-nominated costume designer shares the muse behind her divine clothing for Sarah Bernhardt and Janet Mct.

Toni-Leslie James is now a three times Tony-winning designer thanks to her brilliant work on Theresa Rebeck Bernhardt/Hamlet.

The production of the Roundabout Theater Company interpreted Janet McTer as Sarah Bernhardt when she decided to tackle the role of all roles: Hamlet. Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel instructed James to create costumes for the rear stage world of Bernhardt and her theater company, as well as their period production of Ham;; James had to capture the magnetism and sexuality of Bernhardt in her female clothing as well as in her male hamlet. But James tackled the challenge thanks to her star.

“Work with Janet … Watch her move in a mirror, actually taught me as a costume designer,” James says in the video above. “She’s just a completed professional, flawless actor, but my goodness really knows her body.”

James, whose previous nominations include Jelly’s last jam and Jitney, count Bernhardt/Hamlet If her 20th Broadway credit, including Come from way, Chita Rivera: A dancer’s lifeas well as the original production of Footless and Angels in America. But as a child in the audience, the costume designer first fell in love with the theater. Hear her full story in the video above.