As a follower who appreciates the artistry behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live, I am constantly amazed by the quick-witted and resourceful work of Jodi Mancuso and Louie Zakarian. Their ability to create stunning hair and makeup designs within such tight time constraints is nothing short of miraculous.
On weekends when “Saturday Night Live” teams responsible for hairstyles and makeup receive a new sketch for airing, they typically have about two days to conceptualize their approach, materialize the idea, and carry out the execution on the actors.
And then, it needs to all come off and be swapped out, just minutes before the next sketch.
Jodi Mancuso, leader of the hair team, and Louie Zakarian, in charge of makeup, collaborate closely to make sure both guests and actors appearing on the show are well-groomed and prepared before each evening’s filming.
“Mancuso remarks on their collaboration as being highly trusting. If the team suggests that Louie should paint the wig, Mancuso responds with confidence, ‘Go for it.’ I place complete faith in them. Such a high level of trust isn’t commonplace…our work is often not easily comprehended by others. Our creations only need to endure for three minutes before they can disintegrate entirely.”
According to Zakarian, as soon as they receive the scripts and hold a reading session on Wednesday evening, they promptly begin designing the outfits needed for the upcoming weekend. For pre-recorded sketches, they only have one day to gather everything and prepare before filming takes place on Friday.
As a devoted cinephile, I’d like to share an insight: during my preparation for the weekend edition, I often have just the hours between Friday evening and Saturday morning to pull everything together.
During a “Weekend Update” in May, when Chloe Fineman donned JoJo Siwa‘s new style, Zakarian explains that his team had to swiftly create the shimmering black makeup within a single day.
The following evening, he along with one of his makeup artists, Jason Milani, experimented with various makeup styles on each other. However, Fineman had to leave for another sketch five minutes after the segment, so Zakarian explains they needed a quick solution to remove all the heavy, dramatic makeup in just two minutes.
In my own words, I discovered an exceptional palette brimming with shimmering cosmetics. After outlining the design with black lines, we simply placed the glitter onto this makeup, and it adhered flawlessly. Later, when it was time to remove it, a warm towel did the trick effortlessly.
At times, minor adjustments to an actor’s hairstyle and cosmetics can be made right up until they step onto the stage.
In December 2023, Emma Stone took on the role of Mitch Lester, a shady record producer, for singer Cass Elliot (portrayed by Chloe Troast), in the production “Make Your Own Kind of Music.” Her character sported an oversized salt and pepper wig with a scant mini-mustache, a tiny mustache, and was always seen holding a cigarette.
Initially, Mancuso planned to wear a dark-colored wig for the scene. However, following one rehearsal, they decided to make her character appear older, so she incorporated more gray into the front of her hairpiece.
Despite Stone’s initial desire for a balding look with a fuller beard, Zakarian points out that such a transformation was impractical due to the rapid changes. Eventually, they experimented with three distinct styles of facial hair and settled on the thin, mustache resembling a pencil.
“Mancuso remarks, ‘Although it may appear straightforward to viewers, there were times when it proved tricky.’ He had a deep affection for that character, Stone. The creation process was more complex than it seemed, involving numerous discussions and adjustments. The cigarette was added at the last moment, and she almost wore glasses. There were several modifications made.”
Even with the quick completion of their tasks, Mancuso and Zakarian admit that the thrill of adrenaline continues to fuel them.
According to Mancuso, when you’re immersed in it, time seems to be against you. You strive to please everyone involved and feel connected to the experience. Now, it has become a part of us. When the show runs smoothly, you can’t help but feel a sense of boredom, as if humming a carefree tune called “Dixie.”
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2024-08-13 20:47