Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512433
82 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2024 Hollywood Wigmakers: Our Unsung Heroes The Next Generation B Y D A N I E L C U R E T J O U R N E Y M A N H A I R S T Y L I S T Hello Natascha! It is so good to see you. What have you been up to? Hello Daniel… I have been so busy ever since the pandemic subsided and we all returned to work. That's great! What have you been busy doing and with whom? I've been working with Uma Thurman, and on wigs for Perry Mason and Suicide Squad, with Renée Zellweger on Judy and Crime Scene, with Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong'o on Black Panther, with Sandra Bullock and a few hair stylists I have developed friendships with like Janine Rath, Michelle Diamantides, Teressa Hill, Camille Friend and Gabriella Pollino. Oh, and, I almost forgot to tell you… with Bette Midler on Hocus Pocus 2! I got chosen by her because she was told that I worked on her first Hocus Pocus wigs with Renate. I did all those hairlines! Talk about full circle… You've been in the new house and private studio now over 12 years since your split with Georg and the Favian rental business. How has the transition been for you? You know, breakups are never easy. I knew Georg my whole life. It felt like I was asleep and then I woke up on my own. I never really liked the rental portion as much as I do making the wigs. It is more rewarding. I rather build, PART 4: NATASCHA Natascha with Sylvester Stallone I met Natascha (Ladek) through Matthew Kasten and Mishell Chandler when they were on Mad TV. I remember running into her at our union's 60th anniversary celebration. She and her now ex-husband, Georg, had just bought the Favian Wigs collection that Vivian Walker had curated from MGM Studios and named after her friend Fay, herself and her daughter Anne. They both glowed all dressed up at The Beverly Hilton Ballroom. Over the years, most of the custom wig work I've ordered has been created by Natascha. However, we really bonded during our col- laboration on Pushing Daisies.