The Wigs That Defined 2025 – Minority Mindset

By 2025, advancements in animation allowed characters like Stitch to appear as if they were truly real, while artificial intelligence instantly gave actors the ability to perform in multiple languages. Virtual production techniques also kept the Marvel Cinematic Universe filming primarily in Atlanta. Despite all this high-tech innovation, simple tools like wigs continued to be essential on set.

While CGI can realistically create things like animal fur, a truly iconic wig still holds a special power on screen. It’s not about high-tech effects; the wig’s simple, analog nature is what makes it so effective. In 2025, the best wigs weren’t trying to look real – they embraced their artificiality. In fact, the more obviously fake a wig was, the more entertaining it became. The key to a great wig? Let that hairline show! Here are some of the most memorable pop-culture wigs of the year.

Alana Haim’s incognito-mode wig in One Battle After Another

In Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, Alana Haim’s character, nicknamed “Mae West,” doesn’t have a huge role, but she delivers the most striking visual moment. After the group French 75 goes underground, Mae West disguises herself with a sleek, black bob, reminiscent of Edna Mode, while staking out a grocery store. She spots something concerning and tries to escape, but is immediately shot. The wig flies off in the air, landing nearby. What makes the wig so memorable is how obviously it looks like a classic “spy” disguise – it’s almost like something a child would draw. In a movie that balances serious themes with humor, Haim’s wig serves both the story and provides the film’s funniest visual joke.

Hormona Lisa’s confessional bob on RuPaul’s Drag Race

Even though RuPaul’s Drag Race showcases incredible wigs on the runway each week, the most memorable wig of the year wasn’t seen during a performance. It was actually the simple blonde bob worn by drag queen Hormona Lisa in the Werk Room and during her confessionals. The unassuming hairstyle made her look like an everyday mom from Alabama, creating a deliberate contrast with her drag persona. This ‘minivan-driver’ wig was particularly clever because it highlighted the transformation Hormona underwent each week, changing from a sweet southern lady into a glamorous queen. While Hormona, a trans woman, wasn’t necessarily presenting a traditional gender transformation on stage, she still fully embraced the art of drag and became a stunning queen with expertly styled wigs.

Cardi B’s courtroom wigs

Cardi B’s courtroom wigs generated a lot of buzz this year during her trial with former security guard Emani Ellis. Ellis had sued Cardi, alleging she injured her face during a visit to the OB/GYN. Though Cardi won the case, she also won over the public with her playful demeanor on the stand. A particularly amusing moment occurred when the opposing lawyer noticed Cardi’s hair had changed from the previous day and jokingly asked which one was her real hair. Cardi simply replied, “They’re both wigs,” with a laugh. This lighthearted response made the lawyer’s questioning seem less serious and reinforced Cardi’s confident image.

Emma Stone self-wig in Bugonia

There’s a moment in Bugonia with Emma Stone’s character, Michelle, that really stuck with me. After a traumatic experience where she’s had her head shaved, she spends almost the whole film bareheaded, or covered in cream. Eventually, she’s let go by Jesse Plemons’ character, and she puts on a wig – seemingly made from her own hair. But it’s a really messy, poorly-applied wig, and to me, it perfectly encapsulates one of the movie’s central ideas: things aren’t always what they seem. You can see all the pieces of who she is, but the wig just barely hides the pain and ordeal she’s been through. It’s a powerful visual metaphor.

Ego Nwodim wavy bob as Miss Eggy on Saturday Night Live

As a huge fan of Saturday Night Live, I’m always noticing the wigs – they’re such a key part of so many characters! This season had some really memorable ones, like turning Sarah Sherman into Nosferatu and giving Bowen Yang a fabulous blowout. But honestly, the one that really stood out to me was the wig they used on Ego Nwodim. Her character, ‘Miss Eggy,’ is this old-school comedian trying to kill at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with really basic jokes about the food. It’s a super physical performance, and the wig was just perfect. It wasn’t flashy, but it really highlighted all of Ego’s movements. Every little head turn or bounce made the wig snap to life right along with her. It was long enough to have some flow, but short enough that it still felt bouncy and energetic. Seriously, that wig made everything Ego did feel even more exaggerated and hilarious – it put everything she did in italics, you know?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=4_LJASfqktU&t=108s&pp=ygUJbWlzcyBlZ2d5

Malin Akerman’s hard-front waves on Hunting Wives

A truly awful wig deserves recognition, especially if it shocks drag queens Trixie and Katya! The over-the-top drama of Netflix’s Hunting Wives was perfectly matched by the unbelievably bad wig worn by Malin Akerman’s character, Margo Banks. It looked like the beachy waves were floating on top of her head, and the hairline was noticeably harsh. As Margo schemes and deceives throughout the show – all while supporting her politician husband – the wig starts to feel like a symbol of her deceptive persona. Both Margo and her wig are clearly artificial, but they’re both so captivating that viewers can’t help but enjoy them anyway.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Group Wig Excellence

Right now, the cast of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is arguably the most captivating on reality television. Just consider this: they got into not one, but two physical altercations this year, and both involved wigs! It started in January when everyone dressed up as their co-star, Lisa Barlow, using wigs. Things quickly escalated when Lisa got upset with Whitney Rose, leading to a heated exchange. Lisa famously told Whitney to remove the wig, declaring she could never measure up, and even tried to pull it off her head during the argument.

Okay, so the next season got wild. The whole group was arguing about whether Lisa Barlow actually owned a horse – seriously! And the best part? They were all at Bronwyn Newport’s party, dressed in these ridiculous colonial-style wigs while it happened. Lisa was trying to explain she does have a horse, it’s just a personal thing, and she was even thinking about getting another one, all while rocking a powdered wig! Honestly, it’s become clear to me that the show has a golden rule: every argument is ten times funnier when everyone’s wearing a fake wig. It’s just good TV!

And one great non-wig

Ironically, the most celebrated wigs this year were those that didn’t look real, while the best hairstyles were so convincing they seemed like wigs. In December, TikTok user Blakely Thornton called out Sydney Sweeney’s hair on The Tonight Show, saying it looked unusually stiff. Thornton then shared a screenshot on Instagram of a now-deleted comment from Sweeney’s hairstylist, Glen “Coco” Oropeza, who defended his work, writing, “It wasn’t a wig, and you can’t stop talking about it—you’re obsessed.”

It’s quite ironic that after facing criticism for attributing her looks to ‘good genes,’ Brittany Sweeney is now being questioned about whether her natural hair appears authentic.

2026-01-01 17:55