How did you come to work on The Last Showgirl?
I’ve known Gia Coppola since she was two years old! Many years ago, her mom, Jacqui Getty, worked on a film I was doing, and we became best friends. I’ve worked with Gia on commercials, videos, and a cool film she did a few years ago called Mainstream, about the dark side of social media. So, of course, when she told me she was doing The Last Showgirl, I was thrilled to be a part of it.
It was a super ambitious project, especially given the small budget and only 18 days to shoot an entire movie! Not only did we manage to pull it off effortlessly, but we actually had reasonable working hours. Gia is a dream to work with; her energy is very calming, and she is an excellent collaborator. I had a great hair and makeup team, and the actors were wonderful—especially Jamie Lee Curtis, whom I’ve known for years, having done films with her husband, Christopher Guest.
What was your vision for Pamela Anderson’s look in the film? Did she have a particular idea of how she wanted her character to be portrayed?
Pam’s look was discussed, tested, and reimagined. I knew she favored the no-makeup look, but since she was portraying a character, my initial thought was: what if, on her off days, there’s still something she holds onto? I figured she might keep her lashes on. So, we pretty much swung from one extreme to the other. That’s the purpose of testing. Ultimately, she felt her best with no makeup, just some glitter that never comes off, which is quite true. I swear I still have glitter from the ‘80s lingering in my kit! For showgirl mode, she pretty much deferred to my research, which, of course, was great. For the finale, I applied blue false lashes adorned with sequined rhinestones as a liner and blue glittery eyeshadow, and I added glitter to her lips over a fuchsia Christian Dior lipstick so she glowed when the light hit. It was insane! We did this for all the girls, adding glitter to their lips for the finale.
What went into designing the signature look of Jamie Lee Curtis’ characters?
For Jamie, I researched and found some great pictures of old Las Vegas women. It felt like Jamie’s character was a bit of a throwback— someone who found a look years ago and just stuck with it. Then Jamie sent me a picture of this woman. Oh my God, it was so funny, and I couldn’t top that. This woman had a bi-level, two-tone haircut, white frosted eyeshadow, and white frosted lipstick, which is hard to find, believe it or not. Once she arrived in Las Vegas, we were doing a test, and I asked if she would be up for a spray tan. She was only working four days, and I really wanted that bad Las Vegas tan. Of course, my time was limited every day, so having her spray-tanned was super helpful, and the look was incredible! She was up for anything and loved the final look we created. She was a pivotal part of the movie, both on and off screen. It was great to have her for those first four days because her energy was so genuine and enthusiastic. Wow, what an incredible actress! She really set the bar for the others, and the chemistry between her and Pam was truly special.
What inspired or influenced the makeup design for the showgirls?
For the rest of the showgirls, I did a lot of research but the bottom line is they wear a ton of makeup. It’s very exaggerated because when they’re up on stage, it has to pop. When they were in their “off-stage” days, we gave Brenda Strong a more makeup-free look. For Kiernan Shipka, we did a bit of liner and gloss on her lips.
What were some of your favorite products you used on set for this film?
As far as products, I love Tom Ford’s makeup line. The foundations are incredible, and I also love his mascara, liners, and shadows. I used the Tom Ford bronzer powder on Jamie. Tatcha cleansers and creams are my go-to for prepping the skin. The liner I loved to use was an old-school Laura Mercier black water-activated liner.
Was there a particular moment or look that you were especially proud of in The Last Showgirl?
My proudest moment was the finale. Watching all our hard work come alive on stage was incredible. Since we hadn’t done any onstage performances before, seeing that scene was truly spectacular. I am very proud of this film; it was an amazing project.
Words: Shannon Levy
Photos: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
