Even Without the Prosthetic Nose, “Cyrano” Is a Master Class in 17th-Century Beauty

Some period pieces focus heavily on the harsh reality of old world beauty standards. For example, in 2018’s “Mary, Queen of Scots” audiences were made well aware of the harsh realities of smallpox and its long-term effects. Queen Elizabeth I spent much of her later life covering her scars in intense toxic makeup that is rumored to have led to her death. But Roxanne’s look wasn’t about hiding; instead, Bertolazzi and Miller magnified her natural beauty and made it feel effortless and slightly undone.

“We were very much encouraged by Joe to create a fantasy of the period,” Miller says. “One of the references he gave me was Jean-Antoine Watteau, the French painter.” It’s been said that Watteau’s contribution to Rococo art helped reignite the artistic interest in color and movement, two elements that are a huge part of “Cyrano.” Miller used his work as a point of emotive reference, like in the way Roxanne’s hair would sweep up in the back: “That was something that you see in a lot of the drawings [Watteau] made; that was a starting point,” Miller says.

“Every single hairstyle that I created for Roxanne was choreographed around her story arch,” Miller says, adding that a big moment for this was a particular montage featuring Roxanne with her letters from Christian. “All Joe wanted for the hair was it not to be contained or over-fussed,” Miller says. “We allowed it to tumble as she tumbles; as the letters fall, she falls.”

Another big hair moment was the “I Need More” sequence when Christian – spoiler alert – isn’t as articulate in person as he is in his letters to Roxanne. She becomes frustrated and literally pulls her hair out. Miller constructed her hairstyle to be torn apart, so Bennett could show how furious she was.

De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn), an arrogant nobleman also in love with Roxanne, serves as Cyrano’s foil; he’s everything our protagonist would be if he used his most likable qualities for selfish intentions. For Wright’s version of the character, Miller specifically looked to Donald Sutherland in the 1976 drama “Casanova” and his high forehead. De Guiche’s look, from the hair to the makeup to his costume (designed by Massimo Cantini Parrini) was intentionally opulent, pointing to his vanity.

Although the hair and makeup department were free to work on their own poetic license, Miller did use styling products on some of the wigs that mimicked the more bizarre methods of the time period, like lard pomade and unbleached flours to give wigs that powdered effect. In some instances, Miller also airbrushed some of his wigs to create watercolor effects that complemented the curves of the curls and his costumes. Her team also worked in goat hair, horse hair, and yack hair in some wigs; believe it or not, this is accurate to the time period, says Miller. They also avoided the use of wig grips and opted to sew together some of the hair pieces where possible.

The three main characters, says Bertolazzi, had time to shine in “Cyrano.” Unlike the supporting characters, Cyrano, Christian, and Roxanne, got more modern looks. Christian, for example, came to set with a medium length Afro, says Miller, and Wright wanted something fairly organic to the actor, so they opted for a twisted loc style.

Fans of Edmond Rostand’s original 1897 play know that the most distinct feature of Cyrano is his nose; it’s the main reason he fears he’ll never have Roxanne’s love. But Dinklage’s iteration of the character goes without. In a recent interview on “Stagecraft,” Variety’s theater podcast, Dinklage said that before he first played the titular character in the 2018 stage musical, the prosthetic nose never spoke to him. In Wright’s version, Dinklage maintained the sentiment. Bertolazzi shares that, save for one battle scene, he didn’t use much makeup on the actor. “He’s Cyrano and that is enough” he says. “He’s full of [more] power than a nose.”

Over-fussed makeup may not have been a concern for most of the film, but for one battle sequence in particular, Bertolazzi got a helping hand from Sicily’s Mt. Etna. The active volcano eventually erupted while the crew was filming, but the result – essentially, lots of ash – helped make the army’s faux battle makeup even more realistic. “I said to the team, don’t do any touch ups,” he says. “We had a great lesson from Mother Nature.”

As for the hair, Miller didn’t give Cyrano any extravagant wigs. Instead, she opted for boyish curls that could bridge the age between him and Roxanne. “[Cyrano’s] life isn’t about vanity,” she says. “His life is about his words, his poetry, his swordsmanship, and I think the characterization that Peter had developed from having done this on the stage was there already.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions while filming, the makeup team was forced to pare down their usual kit essentials. According to Bertolazzi, his team ended up using a reduced palette of color for the actors. White makeup, flushed cheeks, and reddened lips were the standard look for the time, but instead of customizing each kit to the cast, the makeup team kept the palette the same across the board. “We had to simplify,” he says. “But the [same] colors on different characters created something organic; everyone looked linked, like a beautiful painting.”

Although most of these bygone trends have been left behind, there is one aspect of Roxanne’s look some are adopting today. Blush is one of those steps in a routine that ebb and flow with popularity, but thanks to shows like “The Great,” the look has been serving as a major muse for blush lovers. The secret, says Bertolazzi, is to not overthink it. Roxanne’s faked natural flush isn’t about contouring or dimension, but about bringing life back into her face. “Just take your hand and slap it on the face,” he says. “It’s messy. Don’t be careful.”