Jean-Pierre Dorléac died at 83 after a career in costume design
The Oscar-nominated designer for Somewhere in Time and Emmy winner for Battlestar Galactica died July 23 of natural causes.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Jean-Pierre Dorléac died July 23 of natural causes, Variety reported. The costume designer, whose screen credits included “Somewhere in Time” and “Battlestar Galactica,” was 83.
Dorléac’s career stretched across film, television, theater and publishing, with a résumé that brought him an Academy Award nomination and two Emmy wins. His work helped define period romance, science fiction spectacle and Hollywood storytelling from behind the seams.
What was Jean-Pierre Dorléac known for?
Dorléac was best known as a costume designer, with one of his most recognized credits coming on “Somewhere in Time.” Variety reported that the film earned him an Oscar nomination.
Television also brought him major recognition. He received 11 Emmy nominations across his TV career and won twice, for “Battlestar Galactica” in 1979 and “The Lot” in 2001, according to Variety.
Costume design is the craft of building a character’s visual identity through clothing, fabrics, colors and period detail. In productions such as “Somewhere in Time” and “Battlestar Galactica,” that work helps place audiences in a specific era or imagined world before a character says a word.
How did Jean-Pierre Dorléac die?
Variety reported that Dorléac died from natural causes. No additional medical details were reported.
Dorléac was born in Toulon, France, in 1943 to an American military service member whose family was stationed in Europe, according to Variety. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in France before his family returned to the United States.
His first Hollywood track was acting, but a stage production opened a different door. When one theater project needed someone to handle costumes, Dorléac stepped in, leading to costume work on the 1973 West Coast Theatre production of “Marat/Sade” in Los Angeles.
That production brought critical praise and a Drama Critics Circle Award, Variety reported. It also pushed him toward the work that would define his career.
Dorléac later became a protégé of legendary costume designer Edith Head. From there, he built a screen career designing for a range of film and television projects.
He also wrote books. Variety cited “Abracabra Alakazama,” published in 2005, and “The Naked Truth: An Irreverent Chronicle of Delirious Escapades,” published in 2015, among his works.
In later years, Dorléac was also known for blunt online commentary. Variety reported that he frequently posted gossip and opinions on social media and became a controversial figure there.
In 2021, he criticized “Battlestar Galactica” actor Patrick Macnee on Twitter in harsh terms, according to Variety, describing Macnee as difficult on the show and attacking his acting. Dorléac also used “The Naked Truth” to take aim at the entertainment business, comparing it to an asylum and faulting behind-the-scenes workers for what he viewed as poor taste and limited skill.
Dorléac is survived by his spouse, Gilberto Mello. Variety reported that the couple met 41 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.