Before he starts any project, Wynn Thomas, one of the leading production designers in Hollywood, asks three questions — “How do I feel? What do I want the audience to feel? And what do I want the actors to feel?” With a career spanning over 40 years, Thomas has built art deco nightclubs for the classic Mo’ Better Blues, recreated tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams’ childhood home for the film King Richard, and he even crafted a spaceship for Mars Attacks! Thomas first started working in film alongside a young Spike Lee. Since then, the two have collaborated on numerous films, including Jungle Fever, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, and Crooklyn. Along with Lee, Thomas has worked with celebrated directors like Tim Burton, Robert De Niro, and Ron Howard, bringing to life iconic sets that mirror real life and take us away from reality with his movie magic. And Thomas’ prolific career reached another milestone this year, when he received an honorary Academy Award for all the movie magic he has created over the decades.