Anne Cathrine Sauerberg

Biography

Anne Cathrine Sauerberg is a premier Danish makeup designer and hair stylist who has been a staple of Scandinavian cinema for over two decades. Known for her versatility, she moves seamlessly between naturalistic dramas and high-concept genre films, frequently collaborating with directors like Susanne Bier, Anders Thomas Jensen, and May el-Toukhy. In January 2026, Sauerberg received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the Norwegian horror film "The Ugly Stepsister" (2025). Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, the film is a gruesome retelling of Cinderella that focuses on body modification. Working alongside prosthetic designer Thomas Foldberg, Sauerberg was responsible for the film's "beauty makeup," which paradoxically required subtle, uncanny prosthetics to make the lead actress (Lea Myren) look "more average" before her surgical transformation. The team was praised for blending high-fashion beauty aesthetics with visceral gore. Sauerberg's portfolio includes some of the most acclaimed Danish films of the 21st century. She designed the makeup for the Sundance-winning erotic drama "Queen of Hearts" (2019) and the slapstick grotesque characters of "Men & Chicken" (2015), starring Mads Mikkelsen. Her recent credits also include the historical drama "The Girl with the Needle" (2024) and the sci-fi drama "Beginnings" (2025). In addition to her Oscar nod, she won the Amanda Award (Norway's national film award) for Best Makeup Design for her work on The Ugly Stepsister in 2025.