The Who What Wear Podcast

Episode: Wednesday Hair and Makeup Artists Nirvana Jalalvand, Francesco Pegoretti, and Lynn Johnston on Moody Colors, Gothic Foundation, and Dark Circles
Host: Caitlin McClintock, Beauty Editor, Who What Wear
Guests: Nirvana Jalalvand (Makeup), Francesco Pegoretti (Hair), Lynn Johnston (Makeup)
Date: September 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the creative process behind the hair and makeup of Netflix’s Wednesday Season 2, with the key artists who bring Nevermore Academy’s hauntingly chic characters to life. The discussion explores updating the classic Addams Family aesthetic, navigating moody color palettes, the technical craft behind signature gothic pallor and dark circles, product recommendations, and the evolution of characters from season one to two.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reimagining the Addams Family Look (01:53 – 04:47)

• Honoring the Past with a Modern Spin:
  • Lynn Johnston recalls using classic techniques (“a lot of classic lines... different shapes... in keeping with how the camera sees things,” 02:29).
  • Francesco Pegoretti shares his excitement and nerves joining mid-production, emphasizing the balance between retaining “iconic details” and introducing new characters and elements (“We keep the iconic details from each character. We do something new, too,” 03:35).
  • For Morticia, wigs replaced her natural hair in season two, enabling more nuanced color effects: “We decided together...to make wigs for her. For me, they work much better, because also to create the color, because even the palette...is very black…but...with a lot of different nuance inside” (03:59).

2. Working with the Signature Addams Palette (04:47 – 05:52)

• Managing Mood and Contrast
  • Nirvana Jalalvand praises the moody, gothic palette, noting its effectiveness both at home and contrasted against the “normie world” (“It amplifies their moodiness and their gray tones,” 05:05).
  • Lynn Johnston details subtle infusions of warmth, especially for Morticia (“there is a tiny bit of warmth in her cheeks and on her eyes… just to bring a tiny bit of light,” 05:33).

3. Evolving Character Aesthetics from Season 1 to 2 (05:52 – 08:51)

• Enid (Emma Myers):
  • Francesco Pegoretti: “She’s more a teenager, so…we decide together to change a bit of the palette... more intense color... Light blue, the sky and the pink purple are more intense, more strong than the first season” (06:20).
  • Her hairstyle and accessories became wilder to underscore her wolf identity.
• Wednesday (Jenna Ortega):
  • Nirvana Jalalvand: “I did keep her pretty true to season one... just put on slightly less makeup, actually, because the more makeup I put on her, the more grown up she looked... wanted to make sure she still looked like a teenager” (07:25).
  • Lynn Johnston adds, “we just kind of softened her lip tone and her look slightly because she’s coming back from the dead” (07:59).
• Tyler and Others:
  • Brushed tiredness into Tyler’s eyes to reflect his now-revealed monstrous side.
  • Marlon Thornhill and other characters evolved visually to match story arcs.

4. Must-Have Products of the Season (08:51 – 10:31)

• Nirvana Jalalvand:
  • Pat McGrath foundation and under-eye powder—used all over Jenna’s skin “to give this really beautiful airbrushed finish” (09:05).
  • “Nightmoth lip balm pot situation”—her personal staple for Wednesday.
  • Dry shampoo mascara (“a really good little top-up for lashes during the day,” 09:05).
• Lynn Johnston:
  • Mix of MAC, Charlotte Tilbury, Glossier, Armani Luminous Silk, Tom Ford, Chantail—notably Chantecaille (09:43).
  • Used Bluebird and Skin Illustrator palettes for special effects; Embryolisse moisturizer to keep makeup fresh.
• Francesco Pegoretti:
  • Marianilla and Oribe for structured styles, Blix hairspray: “It works very well, actually” (10:16).

5. Mirroring and Differentiating Wednesday & Morticia (10:31 – 12:00)

• Their makeup “brings this element of unison...even though Wednesday doesn’t want to be like her mother, she’s very influenced...” – Nirvana (11:16)
• Morticia is “a lot softer than Wednesday is, isn’t she? It kind of lends itself nicely.” – Nirvana (12:00).
• Morticia’s palette is slightly warmer (a hint more pink), while Wednesday’s is starker.

6. Achieving Their Signature Pale Complexions (12:00 – 13:57)

• Nirvana Jalalvand: “I look at the lightest part of [Jenna’s] complexion...to give an overall hue of slight fairness...add that color to hands, neck, ears” (12:29)
• Lynn Johnston:
  • For Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia): Armani Luminous Silk on the face, Estée Lauder Double Wear on the neck/chest for transfer resistance. Products are layered and blended “to try and not look like there’s too much makeup on” (13:08).

7. Crafting Realistic Dark Circles (13:57 – 15:37)

• Nirvana Jalalvand’s secret for Wednesday: “I literally just don’t put any product under her eye and just bring the base color up to where her under eye is, and it creates that illusion of shadow...Jenna loves it when they’re popping out. Sometimes if she was well rested, she’d be like, ‘Oh, I look too well rested today’” (14:37).
• Lynn Johnston: For others, used cool, ashy tones primarily from MAC Pro or Ben Nye, thinned with MAC Pro mixer for realism (“Sometimes there would be more than one color used so it doesn’t look so blocky,” 15:07).

8. Designing Grandmama Hester Frump (15:37 – 17:49)

• Francesco Pegoretti on inspiration: “We're not about Frankenstein, but about, you know, Daphne Guinness, because she has to be also very elegant, something dark, something very high class...My expression was the body of the spider—something to remind an insect…mix these two colors and this shape” (16:06).
• Lynn Johnston: Hester deliberately contrasts Morticia with a “winged eye…to bring her away from the softness of Morticia... her lip color is a bit cooler” (17:17). Joanna Lumley, who plays Hester, felt the look reflected the cartoonish, unchanging Addams family archetype.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We keep the iconic details from each character. We do something new, too.” — Francesco Pegoretti (03:35)
• “The more makeup I put on her, the more grown up she looked...wanted to make sure she still looked like a teenager.” — Nirvana Jalalvand on Jenna Ortega (07:25)
• “Jenna loves it when [her dark circles] are popping out. Sometimes if she was well rested, she’d be like, ‘Oh, I look too well rested today.’” — Nirvana Jalalvand (14:37)
• “My expression was the body of the spider—something to remind an insect for her…very elegant, something strong and iconic.” — Francesco Pegoretti on Hester Frump (16:06)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Reimagining the Addams Family aesthetic: 01:53 – 04:47
• Moody color palettes & contrast: 04:47 – 05:52
• Season 2 character evolution: 05:52 – 08:51
• Go-to products & techniques: 08:51 – 10:31
• Morticia & Wednesday’s mirrored looks: 10:31 – 12:00
• Creating the signature pallor: 12:00 – 13:57
• Dark circles secrets: 13:57 – 15:37
• Designing Grandmama (Hester Frump): 15:37 – 17:49

Episode Takeaways

• The Wednesday team expertly blends heritage and innovation, updating signature Addams Family visuals with fresh, camera-ready techniques.
• Realistic gothic details—especially pale skin and dark circles—are carefully achieved with nuanced layering and strategic product choices.
• Each character’s look is adapted for their narrative journey, from understated changes for Wednesday to bold reinventions for supporting roles.
• The creative collaboration stretches across hair, makeup, and costume departments, highlighting the power of holistic storytelling through beauty and style.