'” –Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Viola Davis sits for hair and makeup styling by Sergio Lopez-Rivera (L) and Jamika Wilson (R) on the set of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. With thick makeup, gold teeth, heavy body pads and a period-accurate horsehair wig (which the actor says was unbelievably hot under the set lights), Davis embodies the famous titular blues singer, who was one of the most successful women in music recording in the 1920s. I had to boil it to clean it to put the rollers in it. Neal researched and found the horse hair to build the wig, and everyone on the hair and makeup team wanted to be as authentic as possible. Those are golden nuggets, because they are telling you a story, which is what our job is — to have the makeup tell the story. Makeup Department Head Matiki Anoff, makeup artist to Viola Davis, Sergio Lopez-Rivera and Hair Department Head Mia Neal, share techniques and behind-the-scenes stories from reviving Ma and her band in the Netflix film based on the play by August Wilson. The work on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom feels reflective on film and TV’s recent evolution where female characters don’t have to look pulled together or traditionally beautiful. What you see is the result of heat, stress, struggle, claustrophobia in a visual way.”. Her hair and makeup team’s Oscar nomination has already made history. It felt like home, since it’s a lot of the same crew that Denzel puts together. It’s a period piece, so you know you’re going to need some weeks and that you’re going to show up over-prepared. It’s more than just beauty and talent that has kept him in this position. Tobias, the cinematographer, also did amazing work. Her makeup is pretty well applied in that scene. The Oscar-winning actress became larger than life Ma Rainey with the help of gold teeth, charcoal-like makeup, and a wig made of horsehair. She must contend with their demands, the ambitious aspirations of a trumpeter named Levee (Chadwick Boseman), and the mercurial demands of her own lover, Dussie Mae (Taylour Paige). Watching Ann Roth working was such a gift. For Ma Rainey, I couldn’t find a lot of material about her. The actual sweat, at least for Ma, I wanted some sweat to trickle down and some to stay still, depending on the moment in the movie. Especially with Dussie, Ann brilliantly faded her dress. Wilson is still trying to wrap her head around the idea that she’s blazing a trail for other women to follow, but she’s aware of how important that representation ultimately is. It’s supposed to hold on to the subsequent layers. On-set photos by David Lee. Get the latest in Arts, Entertainment and Innovation delivered to your inbox daily. Golden Years is Observer’s clear-eyed coverage of the awards horserace. We also interviewed director George C. Wolfe. As Viola Davis reflects: “Usually Ma Rainey and how she looks have been greatly stereotyped in cinematic history and in life. We had to create backstories, makeup-wise for each character. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Awards. The actress’ dramatic, compelling look ultimately scored the film an Oscar nod for Best Makeup and Hairstyling — a nomination that has made history with the Academy Awards. ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ Hair and Makeup Crew Talk Researching the Harlem Renaissance Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. On the other hand this made me free to create this outrageous character, and there were a few things that were just gold — no pun intended, given her gold teeth. To be in his presence is unbelievable. And she probably wanted wavy hair that she couldn’t achieve with her own hair. It’s supposed to look like a wig but an expensive one. Anoff:  My favorite part were the collaborations. • Set Decorators Announce Winners of 1st SDSA Film Awards, • Cinematographer Markus Förderer Uses DoPchoice to Light. She would use her own lipstick as rouge. BTL: Mia, can you please tell us about the wigs? Viola Davis disappears into her role as legendary Blues singer Ma Rainey, an achievement greatly aided by the talented hair and makeup teams who worked hard to establish a naturalistic 1920s look, while helping to set the scene of a hot, stuffy and tense recording studio in Chicago. These are the words Ma Rainey uses to describe her white record producers in new Netflix film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, based on the life of trailblazing blues singer Gertrude Pridgett. Netflix. Though few photos of Rainey exist, Davis certainly captures the singer's signature presence. Having scored a leading three SAG nominations, as well as two Golden Globe nods, the well-reviewed movie about the imperious blues singer in the title (played by Viola Davis) also serves up a crafts cornucopia. They consulted with Davis on her feel for Rainey, as well as doing extensive research on the singer, the time period and what products would be available to Black women in that era. Sergio Lopez-Rivera: I was working with Viola on How to Get Away With Murder, so while working on that show, pretty much at the last minute, she told me about this movie that was coming up and asked me to be her personal [makeup artist] for the movie, and I said “Yes” without knowing anything about this movie or character at all! Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Viola Davis: Best Achievement in Production Design Mark Ricker (production design) Karen O'Hara (set decoration) Diana Stoughton … It still had manure and lice eggs. You can see that this was just a country girl who got lucky, and she was going to … The hairs were so thick that only one could fit through the lace when I was ventilating it. As an old movie buff, it was a directive he could get behind. We had a chance to chat with the makeup and hair team behind the captivating Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com. My vanity will be okay. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. Every artist, regardless of color, will have the chance to work — and do work that they’re proud of.”, A hair touch-up on the set of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Posthumously. So I wasn’t surprised when I was called for this one, and I jumped at the chance since a period piece is such a wonderful experience, especially with Denzel. Neal: I’ve done so much stuff with Denzel on Broadway — I loved seeing him as a producer and not on stage. The first time I worked him on Broadway, after a production, he went out and signed the Playbill of every single person, and this was a matinee, and he had to go back on the stage at night. BTL: How did you make it seem like they were sweating without actually destroying their makeup? From carefully constructed sets to exquisite 1920s costumes, the film is sure to be a strong contender in many below-the-line categories at the Oscars. Mia Neal, Make Up Department: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. I couldn’t believe we were going to get all of the needed things in two weeks, but with that team of people, what can you say? "Ma honed a flamboyant stage persona, making her entrance in a bejeweled, floor-length … You better bring your A-game.”. “She’s hyper aware that she’s not skinny, that she’s not light-skinned, that she’s not all of these things,” Lopez-Rivera notes of the character. The idea that she wasn’t concerned with touching up her appearance came from several biographies Lopez-Rivera read, including one by one of her band members. In the process, I realized why Ma used it — it held the set. “And then to make history really just blows my mind. So to me, first I saw how Ma was, and then listening to Ann Roth a lot about the dress — for example the torn dress by Dussie Mae — got me to where I wanted to be. I trust you, take this as far as you think you can go.’ She gave me permission to do this.”. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. Transforming Viola Davis into 1920s blues singer Ma Rainey was no easy task, especially since her team of hair and makeup artists only had two weeks of preparation before production began on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom captures a particular episode in the famed singer’s life, when her white contractors expect her to make a record during a steamy summer in 1920s Chicago. Davis even referenced Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane when discussing the makeup design with Lopez-Rivera, encouraging him to allow her to be messy. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Hair and Makeup Interview The Characters in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Looked Anything but Glamorous — and That … TheWrap awards magazine: Makeup designer Sergio Lopez-Rivera and hair artist Mia Neal discuss their work with the Oscar-winner on creating a glamorous and discomforting heroine A version of this story about “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” appears in the Oscar Nominations Preview issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. She had changed her name, moved from Southern Georgia. So she went for a white woman hair. It had to be styled, but I never had to reroll it. But Ma Rainey appears overweight, haggard, and even drunk, not to mention highly affected by the ultra-hot conditions of the warehouse turned recording studio into which she’s been confined. Then, right before they called action, I’d put in some little mist of water, to elevate the chances that some sweat would travel down at that moment. BTL: What about the wigs for Dussie Mae — how did that come about? Colman [Domingo, who plays another band member] had numerous tattoos on his neck, and we had to do a tattoo cover work on that, but he also had to wipe his neck all the time. Also Ann Roth — she blew my mind. Makeup artist Sergio Lopez-Rivera had the tall task of transforming Viola Davis into the audacious blues singer Ma Rainey in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” With shiny black eyeshadow… A version of this story about “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” appears in the Oscar Nominations Preview issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. Below the Line: Thank you for talking to us about the film. “Outside of that, Black women had to make do with whatever was available for white women or what they could make at home. Ann Roth discovered that Ma Rainey used a wig based on horse hair, and she said “You have to do that here” — A real challenge! Chadwick, too, what an amazing actor, what a kind person. I had to source this hair. She sweated profusely, especially during her performances. Since none of those traits apply to the actress portraying Ma Rainey, the makeup and hairstyling team had a challenging and inviting task ahead of them. Mia Neal: Viola had two wigs. The “show” wig she uses when she performs is one. What she told me was, ‘You can take this as far as you want and I will be okay. This Article is related to: Awards and tagged Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Netflix, Oscars, Screen Actors Guild Awards Comments Oscar Geek February 3, 2021 5:00 pm To have makeup protected from the wear of time or lights, we use primers as the first thing that goes on the skin. The hair and makeup teams worked to be true to what Rainey actually looked like, while also using creative license to make a statement about her power and personality. What she told me was, ‘You can take this as far as you want and I will be okay. She was really just a country bumpkin. She’s not one of these precious women who’s checking herself in her compact mirror. Netflix, “Viola wanted to make sure that we were not trying to make her look better,” he says. But it was lovely to meet Sergio and to really get to know Mia. Showing all 53 wins and 207 nominations. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is streaming now. Her look is not polished at all, but it’s still cute. Ma Rainey’s smudged eye makeup and bright berry rouge reflected what was available at the time, said Anoff (who previously worked with Ma Rainey co … You also know that the cast is going to show up with their makeup and hair done the night before they appear in a Denzel Washington movie, which I’m always prepared for. I was super excited. To me, it was another layer of oppression for these not very sophisticated people that came from the South and were still a part of the Great Migration. In fact, the New Yorker named Viola Davis's makeup the "real star" of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. “But there is a very iconic look of Ma Rainey with a beautiful headband on and the French bangs so we went from there. “But she’s a performer. For “Ma Rainey,” makeup artist Sergio Lopez-Rivera needed to recreate the singer’s legendary greasepaint look, and actress Viola Davis told him to have at it. Davis’ wig in the film is made from horse hair, which is factually accurate to the 1920s. You can also see in this grainy black and white photograph that’s she has gold teeth in her mouth, and you also know that she had the intention of rounding out her eyes on the bottom. And we depended a lot on [costume designer] Ann Roth, who had all this information to pour into us.”, “I was shocked to find out there was really nothing available to Black women other than a couple of bleaching creams available for dark skin, which in and of itself is sending the wrong message, and then some terribly chalky powders,” Lopez-Rivera says. Lopez-Rivera: There are two elements to that. Ma Rainey was a large woman and was, by her contemporaries, considered not an attractive woman. Mark Ricker, the production designer — I’ve never been in sets like that. “There’s not very many images of Ma Rainey out there, so the pickings were very slim,” Wilson notes. Hair department head Mia Neal and Davis’ personal hair stylist Jamika Wilson, who are nominated alongside makeup artist Sergio Lopez-Rivera, are the first Black women to be nominated in the makeup and hairstyling category at the Oscars. BTL: Talk to us about Viola’s look as Ma Rainey — she looks sweaty, drunk, and grungy. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” hair department head Mia Neal is on course to make Oscar history by being the first Black woman to be nominated in the makeup … People are like, ‘You know this is a really big deal!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah it’s a big deal.’ But it should have been [history] a long time ago. About not making Viola Davis look 'pretty Sergio and to really get to know Mia day and it s! Still trying to make her look is not polished at all — you have to figure out look trendy beautiful. Horse hair, which is factually accurate to the 1920s “Usually Ma Rainey out there, you! Of this is something [ you do ] before you apply any makeup at all you. 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