Above: Director Kasi Lemmons with
actors Zackary Momoh, Cynthia Erivo
and Vanessa Bell Calloway.
Left: Applying finishing touches to
Erivo. Photo courtesy of Angie Wells
As the department head make-up, my challenge for the film was a total transformation for the
glamorous Cynthia Erivo, who plays Harriet, by creating a realistic look that would support the
character's journey. My goal was to create make-up looks that were true to history. This required
endless research, especially into the lives of people who were enslaved and of course, Harriet Tubman.