Miss Congeniality fans know all too well that April 25 is the perfect date. So does Miss Congeniality costume designer Susie DeSanto, who created, curated, and sourced the filmâs iconic looks for Sandra Bullockâs lovably tough FBI agent, Gracie Hart.
And this year, April 25 marks the start of the filmâs 25th anniversary celebration (it was originally released on December 22, 2000), which is both appropriate and totally surreal, especially for DeSanto.
âI canât believe itâs 25 years,â says DeSanto, who was also the costume designer on 13 Going on 30, One Fine Day, Hope Floats, and most recently, Huluâs Good American Family. âItâs so funny because I remember so much of it like it was yesterday. It was such a vibrant experience.â
The film was shot mainly in Austin, Texas, and DeSanto tells Glamour there were approximately eight weeks to prep before filming commenced. âSince we werenât in LA, I had to have full-time shoppers and pullers sending me stuff all the time because you just donât have the resources that you do in New York or Los Angeles,â DeSanto says.
It was the costume designerâs second time working with Bullock (their first film was 1998âs Hope Floats), and she has nothing but praise for the Oscar winner. âSheâs got such range, and sheâs proven that over and over again,â DeSanto says. âBut her comedic stuff in Miss Congenialityâ¦she was the right person with the right material at the right time in her career, and thatâs when it all comes together.â
However, DeSanto adds that it was Bullockâs demeanor off-screen that also helped the film work so well. âEverybody really got along,â she says. âIt was a very relaxed and fun set. Everybody was super supportive, and that all came from Sandy. She set the bar, so everybody was like, âOkay, this is what we’re doing,â behavior-wise. And so it was really fun.â