Behind Cynthia Erivo’s Spellbinding Wicked Transformation, from Airbrushed Makeup to Stenciled Eyebrows (Exclusive)

Cynthia Erivo’s transformation into Elphab for Wicked was involved, to say the least.

But despite the actress, 37, having to sit in the makeup chair for hours every day, Frances Hannon, the film’s makeup and hair designer, tells PEOPLE that Erivo was “perfect” to work with from the start.

The transformation to Elphab began with Hannon and her team creating custom green makeup because there was nothing on the market that Hannon felt was suitable for their needs.

It began in the summer of 2022 before the actress arrived on set. At the time, Hannon was working with models whose skin tones were very similar to Eriv’s, but as the pro tested different shades of green, she discovered that the lighting would affect their appearance.

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Cynthia Erivo in Wicked.

Universal Pictures

“Every time I tried [the shades]I couldn’t get it to work in all the lights I knew Cynthia would have to go through,” Hannon tells PEOPLE exclusively. “In low light or shadow, they would go gray. I didn’t want everything to be done in post-production, although that is also an option.”

Eventually, she found a discontinued cream eyeshadow made in Canada that had a neon base, and that’s when Hannon could really get down to business.

She took it to SFX makeup pro David Stoneman, who specializes in custom creations, and together they mixed what became “Cynthia Green.” It contains a bit of neon yellow to give it a reflective quality to prevent the skin from absorbing light — and it works in all kinds of environments.

“It’s tried on perfectly,” says Hannon, adding that when Erivo came to see the makeup for herself, she was “thrilled.”

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Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked.

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Each day of the shoot, Hannon says Erivo’s makeup took two hours or more, depending on how much of her body had to be covered, which varied depending on the costume she was wearing.

The process began with a layer of custom green primer that was applied with a brush or sponge, and then “Cynthia Green” makeup was layered on top. This formula, which was applied with an airbrush, was just “a little less runny than water,” says Hannon. This allowed it to go on so smoothly that it would sit on Eriv’s skin without creasing or cracking all day. Makeup artists then contoured on top of that to add dimension to her face.

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Even Eriva’s head is painted green (she shaved her head before this role) so if her skin is visible under the wig, it will be that color as well. Keeping every detail in mind, the lace on her wigs was also green.

“We worked out the contours using little freckles to make her look younger, which helps give her a story arc as time goes by,” says Hannon, noting that stencils were made to ensure they were in the same place every day. “And we used eyebrow stencils because Cynthia shaves her eyebrows. I worked out the best shape and had them all custom made.”

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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked.

Universal Pictures/Youtube

Besides the perfect shade and texture of the green makeup, another aspect of Eriva’s look that Hannon needed for the nails was its durability, since it was critical that the formula not rub off on anything.

“We didn’t want anything that would transfer to Ariana’s skin, transfer to other costumes, or transfer to her own costumes,” Hannon says. “We never had that problem [with the shade]even with her flying, singing, running.”

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The removal process was another story. But Hannon says it was much quicker – usually less than an hour. There was a special makeup remover that the team used to gently remove the green tint from Eriva’s skin. During the shoot, Hannon says Erivo stuck to her usual skincare routine and has “perfect skin” along the way.

“Her skin care routine was a normal skin care routine, with the addition of products that we were supposed to use to remove makeup at the end of the day, [which] they weren’t harmful to her,” says Hannon.

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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked.

Universal Studios

“Some people’s skin might break out from that makeup, but Cynthia’s didn’t. Some people might sweat. Cynthia didn’t. Everything about her made it work.”

At the end of the day, Hannon praises Eriva not only for her flawless complexion, but also for her performance and professionalism.

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“She never, never, never complained, never.”

Wicked arrives in theaters on November 22. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the magical film with the new special issue of PEOPLE, available here.

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