Hair designer Francesco Pegoretti
and makeup designer Jana Carboni collaborated to bring authenticity to the
characters in Ridley Scott's historical epic "Napoleon." The film
focuses on the French general and emperor, Napoleon (Joaquin Phoenix), and his
free-spirited first wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). In a pivotal scene where
Napoleon meets Josephine for the first time at a candlelit party, days after
she narrowly escapes beheading during the French Revolution, Pegoretti and
Carboni played a crucial role.
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| Vanessa Kirby stars as Empress Josephine in Apple/Columbia Pictures’ 'Napoleon,' opposite Joaquin Phoenix as the title character |
Pegoretti explains that for the initial part of the movie, Josephine has short hair, symbolizing her time in prison as she awaited execution. In the actual historical account, Josephine escaped the guillotine by a single day and had cut her hair herself to prevent it from getting entangled in the blade. Pegoretti hints at a longer version of the film, the director's cut to be released on Apple TV+, where viewers may witness the scene depicting Josephine cutting her hair.
In creating the right wig for
Josephine's character in "Napoleon," Francesco Pegoretti struck a
balance between historical accuracy and a modern, edgy flair, following Ridley
Scott's directive to avoid an academic approach and instead focus on a natural
and messy look that complements the character. Pegoretti likens Josephine's
style to someone attending a Cure concert—edgy, decadent, and with a pixie punk
vibe. Carboni elaborates on the concept, emphasizing Josephine's wild and
unconventional nature, even as she becomes empress.
As the film progresses, Josephine's
hair grows out, necessitating another wig. Pegoretti describes this new style
as fancy, fashion-forward, and reminiscent of the early 19th century, but with
a more natural and sometimes messy feel to align with the character's journey.
Josephine's strong eyebrows are intentionally maintained, reflecting her upbringing outside the aristocracy in Martinique and her later infiltration into the French elite. According to Carboni, the decision to keep her eyebrows strong is a nod to the wildness that has always defined Josephine and will continue to do so.
Josephine's makeup in
"Napoleon" is described by makeup designer Jana Carboni as heavy,
almost serving as a protective layer or armor for the character. Carboni
characterizes Josephine's look as having a "lady of the night" quality, explaining that it functions as a
means for Josephine to hide behind the makeup, particularly given her recent
release from prison. Carboni emphasizes that Josephine employs beauty and sex
appeal as survival tools, using makeup to enhance her allure without appearing
clownish. The goal was to maintain a sexy aesthetic while incorporating the
heaviness of the makeup.
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| Kirby is a natural blond, so hair designer Francesco Pegoretti had to work on the dark tones of the wig: “Dark, but not too solid,” he says |
In the scene where Josephine first meets Napoleon, Carboni ensures that Vanessa Kirby, who portrays Josephine, glistens as she moves across the room. Carboni notes the assistance of Kirby's naturally beautiful skin but also mentions using translucent products to maintain a radiant look, especially in the dim candlelight ambiance of the scene.
To achieve Josephine's smudgy black
eye in "Napoleon," makeup designer Jana Carboni applied shadow mostly
with her finger, creating an imperfect look to convey that Josephine did it
herself and didn't aim for perfection. Carboni used crimson red on Vanessa
Kirby's cheeks and lips to infuse Josephine with sensuality.
Francesco Pegoretti and Carboni
emphasize Ridley Scott's filming style, mentioning that he employs as many as
11 cameras shooting simultaneously and allows very few takes. Carboni stresses
the importance of precision and expertise in such a setup, noting that with
only one or two takes available, there's no room for errors, and the team needs
to be 100 percent accurate on the first take.
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