Behind the scenes of ‘Saturday Night Live’: The magic of hair and makeup transformations

The art of quick-change magic

When the “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) hair and makeup teams receive a skit for the upcoming weekend, they have a mere two days to conceptualize, create, and execute the look for the actors. This whirlwind process culminates in a rapid transformation, only to be undone and replaced within minutes for the next sketch.

The dynamic duo: Jodi Mancuso and Louie Zakarian

Jodi Mancuso, head of the hair department, and Louie Zakarian, head of the makeup department, work in perfect harmony to ensure that both guests and cast members are ready for their performances. Mancuso emphasizes the trust they share: “If [the team] says Louie needs to paint the wig, I’m like, ‘Go ahead.’ I have full trust. That normally doesn’t happen everywhere…what we do, most people don’t understand it. Our stuff only has to last three minutes, and then it can completely fall apart.”

Zakarian explains that once they receive the scripts and conduct a table read on Wednesday night, they immediately begin crafting the looks for the weekend. For pre-taped sketches, they have just one day to prepare before filming on Friday.

The pressure of ‘Weekend Update’

For the “Weekend Update” segment, the team sometimes has only from Friday night until Saturday morning to prepare. When Chloe Fineman appeared as JoJo Siwa with a new look in May, Zakarian and his team had to devise the glittery black makeup in under a day.

Zakarian recalls, “I was able to find this palette that had this great glittery makeup in it. Once we painted the black lines, we were just able to stick that glitter onto that makeup and it stayed beautifully. And then with just a hot towel, it all came right off.”

The challenge of quick changes

The team often makes tweaks to the actors’ hair and makeup up until minutes before they hit the stage. When Emma Stone hosted in December 2023, she played Mitch Lester, a sleazy record producer for singer Cass Elliot (played by cast member Chloe Troast) in “Make Your Own Kind of Music.” The character featured a fluffed-up salt and pepper wig, a sparse mini-mustache, and a cigarette perpetually in hand.

Mancuso initially had a darker wig for the scene, but after one rehearsal, they decided to age the character up by adding more gray to the front of the hairpiece. Although Stone originally wanted to be balding and have more facial hair, it wasn’t feasible given the quick changes. They experimented with three different types of facial hair before settling on the pencil-thin mustache.

“It looks simple to the audience, but it sometimes can be a challenge,” Mancuso says. “Something about that character, [Stone] really loved. It was actually quite a few conversations and changes, it wasn’t as simple as it seems. They added the cigarette last minute, she almost wore glasses. It was played with quite a bit.”

The adrenaline rush

Despite the rapid turnaround for their work, Mancuso and Zakarian thrive on the adrenaline rush. “When you’re in it, you’re up against that time,” Mancuso says. “You want to make everybody happy and you’re a part of it. And now, it’s in our blood. When it’s an easy show, you’re almost whistling Dixie and bored.”

A personal reflection

As a cinema and TV series enthusiast, it’s fascinating to witness the behind-the-scenes magic that brings characters to life on SNL. The dedication and creativity of the hair and makeup teams are truly commendable. Their ability to adapt and innovate under pressure is a testament to their expertise and passion for their craft.

For those interested in exploring more about the characters and sketches mentioned, you can watch the trailer for “Make Your Own Kind of Music” here.

The world of SNL is a whirlwind of creativity, collaboration, and quick thinking. The hair and makeup teams play a crucial role in ensuring that each sketch is visually compelling and true to the characters. Their work, though fleeting, leaves a lasting impression on audiences and contributes to the show’s enduring success.