A Conversation with Marci Rodgers on her work in the Blockbuster Film “Michael”
The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, had a talent that transcends time and space. Part of what made him such an other-worldly figure was his distinctly unique fashion. Jackson saw value in the most overlooked aspects of a person's presentation. He made socks, gloves, even tape on his fingers a fashion statement that thousands, if not millions, would replicate out of admiration when attending his concerts and enjoying his music. Michael Jackson wore countless clothing items that inspired the future of fashion. The most notable example of this being Virgil Abloh’s Fall 2019 Louis Vuitton Collection which paid an homage to Jackson’s life and style, 10 years after his passing.
The thing about Michael Jackson – is there never was, and will never be, anyone like him.
Which is why when tasked with recreating his character for the biopic, “Michael,” Marci Rodgers was the obvious choice for the job. Rodgers has a decorated resume and is well rounded academically and creatively. Her previous work includes: The Black KKKlansman, She's Gotta Have It, Till, Wu Tang: An American Saga, and more. She obtained her bachelor's degree in business administration from Howard University, obtained an MBA, and was the assistant director of admissions at Howard University School of Law for seven years. In between this, she studied abroad at Central Saint Martin's in London. It was in London when something shifted. Reflecting on this time and talking about her transition from business to the fashion and design world she shared, “I like to say I manifested this career, I felt like my life took a turn when I was studying in London, fashion design and marketing. I manifested this career of costume design. And then I went on to get my second master's in fine arts at University of Maryland with a concentration in costume design.”
Despite her other postgrad pursuits, she shared, “I always had an affinity for fashion.” Even in high school, “I loved to dress. My senior year I was voted best dressed. So, I guess you could say I always had a knack for it. And I just stay true to myself and true to what spoke to me innately.” Upon further discussing her jump from business to art, she expressed, “I think my process is truly divine and fated. So, one of the things that I would say in transitioning from education to the creative field is having to truly learn the language of a creative, if you will. And through that process, it's truly like molding you into something greater that you really don't see until the time is right. I attribute it to when a snake sheds skin, it's a new version of itself, but it's still the same snake.”
Her creative process, focused on integrity, remains the same with every project she approaches.
Regarding her work on “Michael,” her creative process consisted of thorough research. She explains, “It was solely me going through archival photos and truly anything and everything I got my hands on, and just going down a rabbit hole when it came to The Jackson 5, the parents obviously, and then when we meet Michael later on in his life.” This project was very moving for multiple reasons. She shared that in her personal life, “Seeing that [the Jacksons] growing up was one thing. I was seeing it from a different lens, but to do the research and zoom in and out to replicate some of those iconic looks or even get as close as possible to the feel of those iconic looks or that era, was truly remarkable.”
To accurately capture the style of Michael Jackson, every costume in the film was crafted with immense detail. One detail that caught my eye were the many rings that “Young Michael,” wore.
I asked Rodgers about how she recreated the costumes they wore in this scene, including the rings. She explained, “To be able to create pretty much anything with pattern, I collaborated with a local vendor in LA to create the fabric. So, the fabric was essentially recreated to match what was actually seen. And then my sewing team actually constructed everything in-house.”
“I do think that Michael and his spirit had a large hand in kind of navigating us through the process of bringing his world and his look to life. And it just so happened by happenstance; we found the ring that Young Michael wore at the fair. It was, to find that particular ring, and it be almost identical, to what Young Michael wore in his life was, that's magical. But I think those are the beats and the points that I tend to emphasize from speaking about my process is that he was, he certainly was around and he certainly was guiding us through it all.” She adds.
In each look Rodgers recreated, her perspective was, “I'm going to emphasize recreating all of his looks, from start to finish, from fabric to thread, to notions, to zippers, to buckles, to leather, to beads, to bugle beads, to rhinestones, to understand that he had, I feel like, the undertones or underscores of what he says when he's affirming himself, when he says he's the greatest of all time.”
Furthermore, “For me to be the costume designer and to be able to bring that to life just kind of, it reiterated that I was chosen to do it and that I too have affirmed being where I am and that even if it's the simplest look to a more difficult look to the eye, that he was purposeful, and I was 1000% purposeful in my pursuit of bringing his iconic looks with even those softer moments or those more personal moments to life.”
Another scene from the film that is defined by this level of intention were the disco-club scenes. These shots were filled with flare, fringe, vests, and silk galore. In regard to those shots, Rodgers shared, “ it was a world within a world. I looked at a lot of research for Studio 54, just to stay true to the vibe of [night clubs like that] so that the background and including Michael weren't just in a space, but they became the space.”
When immersing herself in her work, she makes an effort to prioritize self-care, stating that, “No matter the scale of the project, having a moment to just really, truly digress is important.” And despite working in Hollywood and in the entertainment industry she makes sure, “To go around like people who actually were in my life before this version of me. So, I go around like my college friends and my sorority sisters. I still go to my parents' house. My father keeps me quite grounded. One of the things he asked me when I first entered into the world of costume design before film and television when I was in Maryland was to never change. So, I promised him that. I think that's what keeps me somewhat together in my self-care, but obviously, you know, it never hurts to go take a day of pampering.”
It is her drive, integrity, and vision that sets her apart from the rest. Rodgers has a fierce belief in herself, intuition, creative process, and an incredible attention to detail and understanding of its importance and weight.
Rodgers’ next project is “The Greatest” on Prime Video which follows the life of Muhammad Ali.
Strike Out.
Author: Gabriella Badalamenti
Los Angeles