Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1469328
myself in those, in addition to other images I found online, dug in and started on my mood boards. Images of Diahann Carroll, Freda Payne, Diana Ross, Donna Summers, and Pam Grier were looks I used to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the era. Golds, rust, peaches, and berries. Dewy skin with an effortless look and feel about them. That is the palette that embodies the essence of that decade. Per usual, I put on my playlist, this time the '70s and allowed the music to dictate the direction of my heart and soul … from there, my hands seemed to have a mind of their own. We all grooved and danced to the sounds of The Temptations, The Jackson 5, and of course, Diana Ross and Donna Summer, who were huge inspirations for some of the looks we created. Such a fun and easy time in history and I wanted each and everyone who stepped into the trailer to be inspired, as well and capture the mood and essence of the period. I hope in some way it also assisted them in embodying their character. One of the most graphic scenes in this series comes with the burn - ing of "Coydog," Ptolomey's uncle, and the men who committed this atrocity. Robert Kurtzman and his team were called in to utilize their incredible skills. They, just like all the other artists who were a part of this series, did the most incredible job. I want to thank them for all the time, effort, and hard work they did to make that scene one of the most emotional, somber, and thought-provoking moments … a look back into a painful history that has unfortunately been repeated time and again. LaToya Henderson and Desha Hayes used their out-of-kit skills to bruise and batter Coydog's character to facilitate the beating he endures prior to the lynching and burning. Thank you again to all the phenomenal artists that came in and showed off their incredible talents and brought their A game to the table every day. A big thank you goes to producer Diane Houselin for entrusting me with this story and my vision to bring the characters to life. This was an incredible experience and a project that I am so very proud of! Most if not all of us, know someone who has been affected by dementia. I hope that this series touches everyone who sees it and they can take a little something away from it. Camille Friend (SLJ's personal hair artist): Many moons ago, the per- son I call "The Boss," aka Sam Jackson, arrived in my life and it has been an extraordinary adventure. That adventure has led us to The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. I feel that Sam Jackson was destined to play Ptolemy. Watching him portray the character was like watching a Masterclass in acting. Jake Garber, Sam, and I have been talking about Ptolemy for many years, plotting and planning what this character would look like. The hair journey began with extensive research on African American men that range in age from 80 to 100 years old. I also researched the characteristics of African American men who had dementia for a long period of time. I started with three looks, and it soon became four looks. All of the wigs were masterly made by Natasha Ladek. The first look was the hero look. A wig build with a 4C/4B hair texture, a receding hairline and a thinning top with a mix of 50% of color (1B/2) and 50% of three shades of grey. A second hero wig was built for the scenes after Ptolemy takes the pill. It was created the same as the first wig. I wanted to reduce the volume of the wigs, so I relaxed every other section to reduce the weight and texture. The third wig was the 1970s flashback, inspired by Jim Brown and Jim Kelly or the movie Three The Hard Way. It was a classic round, lightbulb-shaped afro. The wig was created with 4C natu - ral texture hair in color number #1/1B. The last wig look was the hardest to create. It is the final look in episode 6. We wanted the audience to see the effects of the treatment. Jake worked his magic with the prosthetic pieces, and the wig came to life. The fourth wig was created with 4A/4B natural texture hair with 75% grey hair and 25% color #1B/2.•