It may not get top billing, but there’s no denying that recreating Pamela Anderson’s iconic bombshell hairstyles on actress Lily James—to uncanny perfection—gives some Hulu’s Pam & Tommy some next-level attention to detail.
“One of my greatest challenges was to find the balance between Pam’s iconic hair from the time and a recreation of those looks for T.V.,” shares hair department lead Barry Lee Moe, who adds it took, on average, four hours per day to prep for glam, plus a blend of three to four blond shades to get the perfect hair color.
“It’s very easy to fall into caricature land, especially with wigs, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. It was important that her hair looked good from all angles, with natural movement and a bit of softness.”
While the custom-made, lace-front wigs might be the big secret to nailing the style (so were UNITE products, which were fully stocked on set), Moe says it takes some steps—and a very unique heat source—to get it “just right.”
For Pam’s Barbwire Hair look, in particular, he used classic Velcro rollers in two different sizes, larger on top and medium through the sides and back, to set the hair. “I then placed the wig in the dryer for 45 minutes to an hour on a medium heat setting. Once dry and fully cooled, I released the rollers and started back combing at the root to create a voluminous foundation.”
