When Cynthia Erivo signed on as Elphaba for Wicked’s big-screen adaptation, she made one thing clear: she didn’t want to “look” green - she wanted to be green. No CGI, no post-production colour overlays, just pure, unapologetic, verdant glory. For Frances Hannon, the Academy Award-winning makeup designer behind the film, this wasn’t just a challenge; it was a chance to redefine the artistry of cinematic makeup.
Image credit: NBC Universal Pictures
Turning a Broadway icon into a living, breathing, screen-ready Elphaba wasn’t as simple as grabbing the nearest green foundation. “I found greens that worked indoors, but outside, they’d go grey, or worse, blue,” Hannon revealed to Variety. After an exhaustive search, the answer lay in an unexpected place: a discontinued Canadian cream eyeshadow containing neon yellow pigment. With the help of British makeup innovator David Stoneman, Hannon alchemised this into a custom green formula that could withstand every kind of lighting and the occasional tearful scene.
But this wasn’t just about finding the right shade. For Hannon, Elphaba’s green skin had to feel like her skin, evolving alongside the character. Freckles, deeper lip tones, and even stronger, longer nails mirrored Elphaba’s growth and empowerment throughout the story. It took two and a half hours daily to bring the transformation to life, blending airbrushed layers with intricate details like eyebrow transfers, contour, and a custom green primer for seamless application.
Meanwhile, Ariana Grande’s Glinda was the visual yin to Elphaba’s yang. “I wanted her to feel iridescent, opalescent - light as a feather,” Hannon explained to Elle Magazine. Grande’s look leaned heavily on her own r.e.m. beauty line, with delicate touches like a dab of highlighter on her nose, courtesy of the aptly named Miss Mercury. “It was a Glinda moment,” Hannon mused.
However, not everyone bought into the aesthetic choices. Grande’s signature lash strips became a hot topic among fans and critics alike. Shameless Podcast hosts joked about the paradox of seeing strip lashes in a world where goats lecture at universities.
Hannon, to her credit, stood firm. The lashes weren’t just a nod to Grande’s style but a deliberate choice to keep Glinda ethereal yet rooted in her character’s playful charm. "We lifted the lashes at the outer corners to give her that feathery, light quality," she explained.
Both leads' hair and makeup choices extended beyond aesthetics - they were integral to the characters’ identities. For Elphaba, Hannon chose micro-braids to keep Cynthia Erivo’s petite frame from being overshadowed by her dramatic costumes. Meanwhile, Glinda’s flowing princess waves reflected her bubbly, larger-than-life personality.
In a movie as visually immersive as Wicked, makeup wasn’t just for show; it was a storytelling tool, weaving together themes of transformation, identity, and contrast. Hannon’s meticulous artistry reminds us that makeup isn’t just about beauty; it’s about becoming. Whether the subtle freckles on a misunderstood witch or the strategic sparkle of a nose highlight, every detail matters when crafting a world of magic.
So, my fellow Ozians, the next time you catch a glimpse of Wicked on the big screen, let’s take a moment to appreciate the countless hours, custom formulas, and, yes, even the strip lashes that brought this enchanting world to life. After all, it’s not easy defying gravity.
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