Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley went via horrific transformations whereas taking part in two sides of the identical girl in “The Substance.” Karla Sofía Gascón alone performs two incarnations of the identical particular person — cartel boss Manitas and the title character after gender-affirming surgical procedure in “Emilia Pérez.” Cynthia Erivo is the green-skinned Elphaba in “Wicked”; Invoice Skarsgård is the clawed vampire Depend Orlok in Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu”; and Sebastian Stan struggles to seek out his internal goodness as a person with neurofibromatosis in “A Different Man.”
5 distinct movies with a key commonality: All of the character seems have been created by this yr’s hair and make-up Oscar nominees.
The Envelope reached out to these groups to seek out out simply what went into these creations.
‘A Different Man’
Sebastian Stan’s hairline will get particular consideration for “A Different Man.”
(A24)
Mike Marino, make-up designerDavid Presto, prosthetic make-up artistCrystal Jurado, prosthetic make-up artist
Proudest momentMarino: The proudest second was proper after the primary make-up check. We acquired to see Sebastian look within the mirror and begin appearing within the make-up. I knew then that it was going to work.
Jurado: To see all of it work so effectively on the massive display screen was an actual delight. It might have so simply seemed like a giant stiff masks, however as an alternative, the make-up really made Sebastian appear to be a person with neurofibromatosis. With the ability to precisely characterize individuals who have this situation is so crucial.
Hardest lookMarino: The principle make-up for Edward (Stan), since he’s carrying full-face prosthetics and little items across the neck. The issue every day with the look was the fixed change of his pores and skin circumstances. Some days have been clear, after which some days he was scabby and flaking.
Presto: Edward’s look was probably the most tough make-up I’ve ever been part of — it took three of us, each day, to finish. What made it extra arduous was our working [space]. There was no make-up trailer. Every single day we needed to lug our gear to every location in New York Metropolis and arrange. On the finish of the day, we might clear up Sebastian, pack our kits and be able to do it over again the subsequent day.
Jurado: Undoubtedly the day the place Edward begins ripping his face off. The softness and weight of the home equipment made software extraordinarily tough, however it was so rewarding to see how profitable the look was that we achieved.
Greatest answer to a problemPresto: Through the scene when Edward begins peeling his face within the mirror, we needed to create a system for fast resets for every take. After brainstorming and testing, we used a particular combine that included Methocel. This helped hold the remainder time all the way down to a minimal whereas nonetheless preserving the make-up.
Jurado: Sebastian has very thick hair, and since the equipment needed to lay over a part of his hair, which the wig sits on and combs into his pure hair, it was difficult to get his hair to put tremendous flat with hair product alone. We ended up utilizing Opsite tape on prime of his hair to press it down even additional. This course of additionally allowed us to make use of Pax paint over the Opsite to even additional conceal his pure hairline.
What would you do in another way when you needed to do all of it once more?Marino: I wouldn’t change something. I consider when a make-up is created and filmed, it’s meant to be. When a personality’s make-up is created, it’s alive, with flaws and all.
‘Emilia Pérez’ 
Karla Sofía Gascón begins “Emilia Pérez” as cartel boss Manitas earlier than transitioning to the title character.
(Courtesy of PAGE 114 – WHY NOT P)
Emmanuel Janvier, co-head of hairstylingJulia Floch-Carbonel, co-head of makeupJean-Christophe Spadaccini, SFX make-up artist
Proudest momentJanvier: Once we created the character of Manitas. The primary time the ultimate look was achieved, and we noticed Karla’s satisfaction and the way rapidly she embraced the character … it was a fantastic second of pleasure.
Floch-Carbonel: Emilia’s transformation was a staff course of, guided by creative director Virginie Montel and director Jacques Audiard. The principle problem was to rework Karla Sofía Gascón’s options to assist her painting pretransition Emilia as Manitas, the intimidating head of a drug cartel, and post-transition Emilia, the loving and beneficiant girl. Moreover the technical challenges, my concern was that the Manitas analysis and make-up testing course of would harm Karla psychologically and throw her [back] to the previous, however she was actually useful, centered and proud of the consequence. Manitas was so removed from Karla that she could possibly be composed and embrace Manitas in her physique language, voice and even her means of strolling. It was wonderful to see and a aid for me and doubtless my proudest second.
Spadaccini: I learn that some individuals thought that two totally different actors have been taking part in Manitas and Emilia. That was a praise I used to be actually happy with.
Karla Sofía Gascón as Emilia Pérez in “Emilia Pérez.”
(Shanna Besson/PAGE 114 – WHY NOT/Shanna Besson/PAGE 114 – WHY NOT)
Hardest lookJanvier: Bringing the characters again to one thing easier, extra understated and extra robust. We tried many short-hair wigs however rapidly fell into clichés — like a Nineteen Seventies Mexican cartel chief within the model of Pablo Escobar. But we wanted one thing that was merely current. For Emilia, it was about attaining a pure femininity, one thing maternal, with out overplaying the transformation.
Floch-Carbonel: Manitas was the toughest look to create. Jacques mentioned he wished a scary Manitas, a “chimera” — a ghostlike existence — however the make-up needed to stay practical and plausible. The fact is that Karla Sofía Gascón is a really attractive, stunning girl with magnificent full lips and feline eyes, and we needed to mess around that. We nonetheless wanted Manitas’ “scary” aspect whereas a few of Karla’s female options remained, so we discovered inspiration in locations like Mickey Rourke’s character in “The Wrestler” — the sort who fought with naked arms but additionally saved a sure coquetry and decorative (tattoo, lengthy hair, skinny eyebrows, metallic tooth, tanning), so her stunning full lips might match on this character. I added a beard, tooth, shadows, texture and tattoos with a purpose to distort Karla’s pure options and emphasize masculine options by way of prosthetics.
Spadaccini: On the bottom of the prosthetic nostril and cheeks for Manitas, I added imperfections like broken pores and skin or a scar, which made his face look extra practical.
‘Nosferatu’ 
Invoice Skarsgård is reworked into Depend Orlok for “Nosferatu,” with assist from key particular results artists Stuart Richards, and Victoria Holt.
(David White/Focus Options)
Traci Loader, make-up designerSuzanne Stokes-Munton, hair designer
Proudest second Loader: Seeing all the pieces come collectively on set for the primary time — the make-up, hair, costumes, lighting, units and the performances all aligning completely.
Hardest look Loader: One of many hardest challenges was designing the make-up, notably for Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp). Her seems needed to subtly mirror the toll of her experiences all through the movie, each bodily and emotionally, with out being overdone. The aim was to maintain the make-up grounded in realism whereas nonetheless contributing to the movie’s tone.
Stokes-Munton: Robert initially requested the “V” parting for the Ellen character. I felt it will be distracting — “gilding the lily” (when you’ll pardon the pun), and doubtless higher suited to the Anna character. A wig was made for Emma Corrin (as Anna) by my crew’s on-site wig division, carefully overseen by Robert’s exact eye for element. The appliance had its challenges as Emma has very thick, darkish, quick hair; however Ivana Nemcova nailed it! Lily acquired the “V” on the again, so all requests have been accommodated.
Greatest answer to a problemLoader: One problem we confronted was seeing the shine from the glue after we hand-laid facial hair or used lace items. We combined Execs-Aide (a water-based medical-grade adhesive) and TS100 (a transparent matting agent), which solved the difficulty.
What would you do in another way?Loader: If I might do all of it once more, I believe I might have pushed extra throughout preproduction to check out totally different designs for some characters. Whereas I’m happy with how all the pieces turned out, you by no means know what else you’ll be able to give you.
‘The Substance’ 
Demi Moore in full-body prosthetics for “The Substance.”
(Christine Tamalet/Common Footage)
Pierre Olivier Persin, particular make-up results designerStéphanie Guillon, key make-up artist
Proudest momentPersin: The primary day we had Gollum [what they called the last stage of aging for Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle] on set in her full-body prosthetic make-up. That’s the one make-up we didn’t have the time to check earlier than the shoot. We examined the pinnacle, after all, however not the total physique.
Hardest look:Persin: Monstro [the final merging of the two bodies], certainly.Guillon: The evolution of the look on Demi when she went from her room to the toilet to vary [before a date] and violently take away the make-up, as a result of it has to start out proportioned to start with, and every time she sees herself in a mirror, it’s degrading slowly and slowly till she is totally out of proportion and he or she removes it. And for Demi to not harm herself, my teammate Fortunate Nguyen and I have been getting ready the eradicating pad with product in it to make it simple and never too exhausting on the pores and skin.
What would you do in another way?Persin: I want we had a bit extra time to construct Monstro and the Blob, to fine-tune the jiggling movement after they transfer.Guillon: I might be extra exact and detailed within the execution of the gorgeous look of Demi and Margaret.
‘Wicked’ 
Cynthia Erivo has inexperienced make-up utilized to her pores and skin for her function as witch Elphaba in “Wicked.”
(Common Studios)
Frances Hannon, hair, make-up and prosthetics designerLaura Blount, crowd hair / make-up supervisorSarah Nuth, key hair stylist / make-up artist
Proudest momentBlount: Seeing all of the Emerald Metropolis seems come collectively on set, it felt such as you have been again within the golden period of Hollywood.
Hardest lookBlount: Constructing a number of the extra statuesque wigs with cages and creating hair origami so as to add to them.
Nuth: Translating the inspiration of Madame Morrible’s magical energy of climate management and cloud formations right into a coiffure for Michelle Yeoh.
Greatest answer to a problemHannon: Discovering the neon drops that introduced Elphaba’s pores and skin to life.
Blount: Spraying the structural wigs with acrylic polyurethane to maintain them in place in the course of the high-energy choreography.
Nuth: Moist-setting hair into shapes and constructing wire constructions to create hairstyles. This prevented the necessity for too many heated instruments that may have an effect on the colour of the white and blond wigs.
What would you do in another way? Nuth: I might have spent extra time absorbing this once-in-a-lifetime job and film.