"Pam & Tommy" Hair, Makeup, Tattoos, and Prosthetics Details
The Beauty Secrets Behind the Transformations You See on "Pam & Tommy"
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Four hours in the hair and makeup chair — that's how long it took Lily James to transform into Pamela Anderson. And Sebastian Stan to become Tommy Lee? Three hours. That's how you know the beauty looks in Hulu's miniseries "Pam & Tommy" are going to be good.
As far as beauty transformations go, the ones James and Stan underwent to get into character for the show were extreme. Twenty-five wigs, 150 prosthetics (on just James alone), and countless fake tattoos were applied to tell the story of Anderson and Lee's whirlwind relationship in the '90s. These extensive beauty treatments allowed the actors to completely melt into the people they were playing — something that was very important to everyone involved.
If there's one word to describe Anderson and Lee, it's iconic. So the pressure was on to do them justice in the miniseries. Luckily, the hair, makeup, and prosthetics teams were up to the challenge. Ahead, they break down exactly how they replicated the pair's signature images, right down to his nipple piercings and her pouty smile.
The Prosthetics Used to Transform Lily James Into Pamala Anderson
The reason it's hard to tell James a part from Anderson is because of skillfully placed prosthetics. "When we first met Lily, we realised that she has these beautiful eyebrows, and they're really, really thick and luscious and amazing," Jason Collins, prosthetic and special effects makeup designer, tells POPSUGAR. He didn't want to tweeze them out of fear of damageing them, so they decided on a full forehead prosthetic. This piece also granted them more forehead space to work with, which is another aspect of Anderson's look.
Hand-sown eyebrows were then placed on top of the prosthetic. "Once we did that, we really realised that that gave us a lot of the likeness that we needed," says Collins. But they didn't stop there. James also wore full upper and lower teeth and fake birthmark tattoos on her shoulder. "[The teeth] give her that Hollywood smile — that sort of capped feel," he says. "Pushing out her lips was a secondary artifact . . . it really gave her that fullness and that voluptuousness."
The Most Recognisable Pamala Anderson Hairstyles They Recreated
Referencing countless photographs, the hair department chose a few of Anderson's most recognisable hairstyles to recreate with wigs. "Hair was such a huge part of Pam's life," Barry Lee Moe, the hair department head, says. He wanted to tell the story of Anderson's life and show the progression of her relationship with Lee through her hair.
A total of four wigs were created to have on hand for quick midday hair changes and all of the pieces were dyed a blend of three to four shades of blond to achieve Anderson's platinum hue.
"When they first fell in love, her hair was carefree and loose and that bombshell look that we all fell in love with." For that hairstyle, Lee Moe used '90s styling techniques, like velcro and hot rollers, to make the wigs look more authentic. "It was that iconic '90s voluminous, bouncy hair," he says. (The same style that's currently making a resurgence on TikTok.) To finish off the look, he used the Unite 7Seconds Glossing Spray ($30) for shine and Unite Session Max Spray ($30) for hold.
The other hairstyle that was important to Lee Moe to replicate was Anderson's messy updo. "She wears [it] during the meeting with the lawyers at the end of the series," he says. Though it looks effortless, it was actually incredibly tricky to nail — right down to the loose pieces of hair that frame her face.
The Key to Pamala Anderson's Iconic Makeup
'90s makeup is easily recognised. "Nudes, browns, and wine-tones were the predominant colours of the day," says David Williams. But Anderson had a bit of a different look to her. As a California girl, her makeup was on the lighter, more natural-looking side.
That said, the first thing that Williams' team felt they needed to nail was her brows, hence the forehead prosthetic and hand-sown brow pieces. "The brows are Pam's most identifiable feature," he says. It was her super slender, thinly plucked, high arched shape that many people were trying to emulate at the time. "She was the benchmark for that, and so it was absolutely critical that the brows be spot on for her in creating a look for Pam."
To get the look, Williams used a variety of products. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick ($34) in "Pillow Talk" was a staple, as was the Chanel Coco Flash Lipstick in "Boy" ($42) for her Baywatch look. "The MAC Liner Pencil in "Spice" ($19) was such an iconic pencil of the day — we used that," he says. To get Pam's rosy cheeks, he used the Stila Convertible Colour Blush ($25) in "Petunia" and "Petal."
The Prosthetics Used to Transform Sebastian Stan Into Tommy Lee
Unlike James, Stan didn't wear any facial prosthetics. Instead, he wore prosthetic nipples to get Lee's nipple rings, which was surprisingly challenging to get right. "It took us three times to finally get the perfect dimension so that they were reasonable," says Collins. "We went ahead and put the jewellery in those nipples, and glued those on every day."
How They Copied Tommy Lee's Full-Body Tattoos
Replicating Lee's tattoos was a beast of its own. Though in real life Lee adds onto his tattoo collection throughout his relationship with Anderson, Collins' team wanted to have all of his designs done at the start of the show to not distract the viewer. "He wears about 30 to 35 tattoos, and it's a daily process of application on him," he says. Application of these special long-wearing tattoos starts by printing the designs on a type of temporary tattoo paper, applying them to the body, and then sealing them in a "company secret that encapsulates those tattoos." This keeps the designs protected from water, sweat, clothing, and touching. "When we put them on, they can actually wear them for a couple of days if they wanted to and not have any problems with anything washing off," says Collins. (The same tattoo technology was used to create Anderson's barbed wire tattoo on her arm, too).
While the temporary tattoos are meant to look like Lee's real artwork, if you were to inspect the designs closely, you'd notice a few key differences. This is because it's actually against copyright laws to depict exact designs on film and TV.
The Key to Tommy Lee's Rocker Makeup
The tattoos and nipple rings weren't all that went into Stan's transformation. In terms of makeup, Lee's heavy, smudged black eyeliner was a staple. "That rockstar liner tends to be less precise and more smudgy," says Williams. To get the look, he used a variety of pencils but two were his favourites: the Make Up For Ever Waterproof Black Pencil ($22) and a discontinued Lancome pencil that he has a personal back stock of.
Transforming Sebastian Stan's Hair Into Tommy Lee's Rocker Style
Stan was the only main character to not wear a wig in the show. They had entertained the idea of putting him in one to preserve his hair and prevent damage, but ultimately decided against it at his request. "He wanted to make sure that he could just sweat and he could run his hands through it and never feel like he had any limitations," says Lee Moe. But the process of getting Lee's '90s grunge style wasn't easy. "We started by doing a Brazilian straightening treatment, which we would do every three months," in addition to colouring his hair every two weeks. The styling portion was no easier. "Finding the perfect balance of product was crucial to achieving Lee's effortless, carefree look," he says. Ultimately, two pomades were used to give moveable texture to his hair: Carol's Daughter Mimosa Honey Pomade ($14) and Reuzel Grease Medium Hold Pomade ($17).
