Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535749
38 • THE ARTISAN SUMMER 2025 Mona Bowman, key hair stylist Once I saw a picture of the real Chicken Man, I knew Kevin Hart would have to have an Afro. When we did our first wig fitting, I was prepared for his input, but he sat there and let me do my thing. I needed to make something more comfortable than your average wig and sideburns, which would typically be separate applications. I didn't want him to have to jump from one chair to the next before even shooting, especially considering the hours and hard work he would be putting into his performance. I scaled the height of the Afro considering Kevin's height, but I also considered the character himself. I think of Chicken Man as a "mild" hustler; he wasn't toting around a gun, and I found out from the script that he went to church and was a family man. I wanted him to be more reserved as he moved between two worlds. Whether he was in church or a bar, I needed him to have a look that was acceptable in both places. Vivian was the brains behind Chicken Man, and she also needed to be comfortable in her look. In a previous life, she was a stripper named Sweets, as we learn in the series; while I wanted Vivian to be strong, glamorous, and put-together, there would be remnants from her time as a performer. Just as she was transitioning between the fashions of the '60s into the '70s, part of her was stuck in the past—even if she was also hiding part of her past at the same time. Cadillac Richie, on the other hand, never wanted to blend in, and Terrence himself seemed to understand that from the beginning when he came to me with his idea for his character's wig. Even though the band found fame much later into the '70s, Terrence was really inspired by the Bee Gees and Barry Gibb in particular, a look that was already pushing it for a hustler. But once I saw the costumes for Cadillac Richie, it was a no-brainer—and Terrence owned it right away. He actually did press for another project while in costume (and wig), so audiences got a little peek and naturally no one understood what was going on. But in Fight Night, that hair made the character come alive. He put the wig on, he turned into Cadillac Richie and my work was done. Of course, Fight Night has a large ensemble of performers playing characters from all parts of the country. I had to research what was going on in these hustlers' hometowns at the time, what was considered flashy and too over-the-top. Not all hustlers were all that fashionable, such as Frank Moten, who was older and more conservative, or Bunker Willis (played by Dammon Earl Hughes), who was actually a butcher by trade and wouldn't be in the shop with a press and curl. But I will admit, the actors on our show would likely have worn whatever I put on their heads—I kid you not. I've never seen a set of guys who were so open and so excited to wear a wig in my life. Normally, when actors are done with work for the day, they want to be cleaned up and out of the door immediately. I had to hunt some of these guys down aer a shoot to get them out of their wigs. Maybe it's because a lot of them haven't played anything set in the 1970s, or maybe they haven't had the opportunity to play characters like these. But I watched them transform and melt into their characters, and it was so rewarding to see these guys not push back. ey were like, "Give me more. Give me more!" At the end of the day, I think our actors were able to portray these characters fully because of the way we presented and put our hair designs on them tastefully. ese are not just hustlers who existed at a certain time, but actual people who lived. I think we all did justice to them, and I believe my team's contributions helped our actors bring out their best performances. • Linda Bem, Don Cheadle's personal make-up artist Lawrence (right) with Kevin and Terrence Mona Bowman doing last looks Kevin Hart and Lawrence L-R: Haiti Estelhomme and Yomally Brady as ensemble cast, Terrence Howard as Cadillac Richie, Samuel L. Jackson as Frank Moten, Michael James Shaw as Lamar