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Makeup department head Nicki Ledermann and hair department head Kay Georgiou, who transformed Joaquin Phoenix into the title character of Todd Phillips’ Joker, are featured in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Behind the Screen.
This transformation included the “classic” clown look at the start of the film and its gradual change into the Joker. As they shared in this interview — conducted via phone — this was no easy challenge, as Phoenix himself described their work as “wrangling a coyote.”
Ledermann’s credits include The Irishman, The Greatest Showman and The Devil Wears Prada, while Georgiou’s recent work includes The Post, Thor: Ragnarok and Steven Spielberg’s upcoming West Side Story.
This year, the pair are nominated for their first Academy Awards in makeup and hairstyling alongside the teams from Bombshell, Judy, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and 1917.
Hosted by THR tech editor Carolyn Giardina, Behind the Screen features conversations with directors, cinematographers, production designers and other artists behind the making of motion pictures and episodic series.
Hear it all below on Behind the Screen — and be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an exciting episode.
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