In The Scenario, reporter Kirbie Johnson takes readers behind the scenes of the buzziest movies and TV shows to reveal how the best wigs, special effects makeup, and more are created. For this edition, Johnson spoke with Wicked’s hair and makeup designer, Frances Hannon, who explained the nuances of bringing two beloved characters—as well as over 3,000 background actors—to life.
Frances Hannon had big ruby slippers to fill. Hannon, who has won both an Oscar and BAFTA for her work, was tasked with creating the hair, makeup, and prosthetic designs for both Wicked films (that’s right, the first installment is out now; the second will premiere in 2025) based on the very beloved, very pop-u-ler intellectual property.
But translating these characters from the long-running Broadway musical to the big screen wasn’t as simple as copying and pasting their looks. For example, actors who are cast as Glinda in the stage presentation have light features to match those of the character’s—but Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the film adaptation, is a natural brunette with dark eyes and eyebrows. Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, who is notoriously green, needed to look like her skin was actually green rather than painted on to make viewers feel they were stepping into another world versus watching a play.
Ahead, Hannon describes the person who inspired Ariana Grande’s look, the reason Erivo needed prosthetic ears, plus the one hairstyle you won’t see Grande wear (we bet you can guess).
Transforming Cynthia Erivo into Elphaba
