The Bluff | Drama

Director: Frank E Flowers

Producers: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, AGBO

Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Karl Urban, Safia Oakley-Green, Vedanten Naidoo, Ismael Cruz Cordova

Costume Designer: Antoinette Messam

Studio: Amazon MGM Studios

Ercell “Bloody Mary” Bodden (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) thought she had escaped her violent past as a pirate, finding peace in the Cayman Islands with her loving husband TH (Ismael Cruz Cordova), their son Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo) and her sister-in-law Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green). But when her notorious former captain, Connor (Karl Urban), arrives seeking revenge, Ercell’s world is torn apart. Forced to confront the demons she’s tried to bury, Ercell is thrust back into a deadly game of secrets and survival. Armed with lethal swordsmanship, cunning traps, and a fierce will to protect those she loves, she wages a brutal war against Connor’s merciless crew. Ercell’s fight to save her family becomes a journey of redemption, as she reclaims her power and embraces the warrior she once was. Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Cayman Brac’s Skull Cave and towering bluffs, producers Anthony and Joe Russo present The Bluff; a gritty, adrenaline-fueled action-adventure about family, survival, and the indomitable strength of a mother’s love.

Style Observer (SO) has previously shared the work of Jamaican-Canadian costume designer Antoinette Messam’s work on
The Harder They Fall and Lift. Her latest project The Bluff is receiving rave reviews from cast, crew and global audiences. Indeed, lead actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas herself has not stopped talking about Messam’s designs opting to wear the body of the dress, the cuirass (armour) to the US premiere. “Designed by our brilliant costume designer Antoinette Messam, in collaboration with Australian artisans who handmade this over three months… There was so much thought, artistry and craft that went behind customising this piece to my body, and the incredible human talent that worked on the details, that I felt it needed a moment of its own,” she shared on her
IG page.

SO needed no further excuse to catch up with the beloved Rock Star costume designer.

Style Observer (SO): When, how and where did you get the call re: The Bluff?

Antoinette Messam (AM): I had to think hard about exactly when I got the call for The Bluff; it was before the writers’ strike, in June 2023. I was offered the script and immediately loved it. Meeting with the director soon after cemented my desire to do the film. I was truly honoured that Frank E Flowers was a fan of The Harder They Fall and wanted to work with me. We also share a Caribbean heritage — Frank is from the Cayman Islands, and I’m from his sister island, Jamaica, so it felt meant to be.

There’s a funny story from our early conversations: While describing a character, Frank referred to a man’s tank top as a merino, which made me laugh out loud. I told him he had to hire me because I’m probably the only costume designer in Los Angeles who knows exactly what a “merino” is! That sealed it.

Production was delayed several times due to nationwide strikes by the Writers’ Guild and Screen Actors’ Guild in 2023, so I didn’t begin soft prep until early spring 2024. Throughout the delays, Frank and I stayed in close touch, continuing to share references and ideas, which helped sustain the creative momentum.

SO: What was the costume design brief?

AM: The costume design brief was developed through an ongoing creative exchange with the director. Due to our delayed start, we shared references and observations by e-mail, phone, and coffee meet-ups. which helped establish the visual language. Frank referenced
Daughters of the Dust and was drawn to the way Victorian silhouettes could be reclaimed through organic textures and detailing, with subtle nods to Caribbean influence, such as plaited or thatch-like elements used as functional garnishes.

A key part of the brief was mixing period authenticity with practicality and movement. For Elizabeth, this meant a more contemporary- feeling, period-appropriate silhouette for her second-day look, shorter skirts, and greater mobility. For Connor, we moved away from traditional pirate attire, incorporating late-1800s and western influences. The recurring word throughout was “tactical”, which became the guiding principle for the designs: purposeful, functional costumes that supported character, survival, and action rather than ornamentation.

SO: Are you the sole costume designer?

AM: I am the costume designer of The Bluff, and I designed all the costumes, including the special curiass, with creative storyline and direction from director Frank E Flowers. My Australian team, who built, crafted, and broke down the costume, comprises approximately 40 very skilled craftspeople who helped me bring my vision to life.

SO: How was the fabric selection?

AM: When I started researching The Bluff, which is set in the mid-1800s in the Cayman Islands, I looked for archival references from across the Caribbean. The Art Gallery of Ontario has Caribbean archives dating back to the 1840s, and those images were incredibly helpful. These images showed homespun fabrics, small patterns, natural textures, and light, muted colours — choices that felt practical and authentic for island life and informed the look of the local people.

The pirates needed to feel like a sharp contrast. I imagined men who had gathered clothing from around the world and needed durable, functional pieces. Denim and leather helped convey that toughness and a more tactical presence. The contrast in colour, fabric, and silhouette between the islanders and the pirates was intentional and essential to visually telling the story of that clash.

Promote a movie, but make it fashion! Lead actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore the original hero piece from Bloody Mary’s costume in The Bluff designed by costume designer Antoinette Messam to the world premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s The Bluff. The look was styled by Wayman + Michah, and included a custom brown skirt from Who Decides War, and Bulgari jewellery. 

Antoinette Messam credits leather artisans Meg Ashforth and Lolly Ruby Redpath for bringing the vision to life, with art finishers Billy Joe Mann and Olivia Balle adding the final weathered detailing. Madeline Turner oversaw the coordination of the many moving parts behind the design. (Photo: IG/@therealantoinettemessam)

(Photo: IG/@therealantoinettemessam)

(Photo: IG/@therealantoinettemessam)

IG/@priyankachopra

Amazon MGM Studios Head of Film, Streaming, and Theatrical Courtenay Valenti (left) and Head of Global Marketing Sue Kroll (right) stand alongside The Bluff stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban at the movie’s world premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 17, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo: AFP)

Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Captain Connor (Karl Urban) in The Bluff. (Photo: Paul Abell)

Director Frank E Flowers (left) and Karl Urban on the set of The Bluff. (Photo: Paul Abell)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Ercell “Bloody Mary” Bodden in a scene from The Bluff (Photo: Paul Abell)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Ercell Bodden in The Bluff (2026) (Photo Credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

(From left) Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green) Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo) in The Bluff. (Photo courtesy of Amazon Content Servi)

The Bluff, an action-thriller starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban, premiered on Amazon Prime Video on February 25, 2026.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas in The Bluff (2026) (Photo Credit: Paul Abell)