Some of my favorite kinds of movies to watch are ones that clue me in on some lost historical stories, and one of them that I watched recently and loved was the new film Six Triple Eight.
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, it’s the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-black and all-female battalion, in World War II.
When you make period movies like that, you need everything to look realistic and to fit within the story.
Enter Priya Maharaj, the makeup department head on the movie. Her process began with extensive research into the makeup trends of the time, especially how wartime conditions impacted cosmetic availability.
This research was crucial for replicating the muted palettes and textures that defined that period. Every detail, from dirt on uniforms to facial hair, was meticulously curated to immerse viewers in the story.
We were excited to sit down with her to chat about this film and her techniques.
Let’s dive into the interview.
Editor’s Note: the following interview is edited for length and clarity.
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No Film School: How did you get involved with Six Triple Eight?
Priya Maharaj: I was familiar with the 6888 Battalion, and when I heard Tyler Perry Studios (TPS) was making a feature about this amazing group of women, I spoke with Angi Bones, President of production at TPS, about the opportunity. I was then offered the position of head of the makeup department, and the rest is, as they say, history. I was so honored to be a part of bringing this story to light that I didn’t hesitate to jump at the offer.
NFS: Six Triple Eight is based on the true story of the US Army’s only all-Black, all-women battalion after World War II. How did you approach the challenge of designing makeup that was not only historically accurate but also reflective of the personal journeys and emotional depth of each character?
Maharaj: The First thing I did was start gathering 1940s imagery, women, men, army recruits, and soldiers on the battlefield. Facial hair looks for men, women’s makeup, and nail styles.
Then I delved into the specifics, like what types of cosmetics would be available during wartime and which ingredients were scarce so that wouldn’t affect the availability of certain eyeshadow and lipsticks, for example.
Additionally, I focused on the characters’ backgrounds, where they are from, socioeconomic backgrounds, and what their jobs were before they enlisted in the army. What state and city did they live in? For example, the character Bernice Baker, played by Kylie Jefferson, worked in NYC and was a phone switchboard operator, so her fashion sense and makeup aesthetic would be more trendy. She would be more fashion-forward being in the Big Apple, as opposed to the character Johnnie Mae, played by Shanice Shantay, who came from a country town working in a factory or farmstead. Therefore, her look was simplified, and her makeup was cleaner, as her makeup aesthetic was not on trend and was more homely.
Lastly, I focused on the military regulations for men’s facial hair in the US, UK, German, and Italian Armies at the time, as they all had different regulations. Additionally, I also focused on what the US women soldiers were allowed to wear makeup-wise, and surprisingly, the army at the time allowed makeup. They even had Revlon come up with a “Patriotic Red” Lipstick for the soldiers as a way to show solidarity and patriotism at the time.
Priya MaharajNetflix
NFS: Your process began with extensive research into makeup trends from the time, especially wartime conditions, and their effect on cosmetic availability. How did you incorporate the limitations and scarcity of products during this period into your makeup designs? Were there any surprising historical details that influenced your approach?
Maharaj: Yes, there was a lot of scarcity when it came to cosmetics as well. Therefore, I researched what shade of eyeshadow, lip, or nail colors there would most likely be available and stuck to safe shades, such as browns, blues, or greys, when it came to shadows, along with reds for lips or nails. One surprising thing was that the use of petroleum, which was used in cosmetics largely at the time for eyeliner and mascara, was not available because it was needed for the war.
Also, embargos were placed on perfumed oils necessary for lipsticks, and solvents used in nail polish were now being requisitioned for military use. This time became known as “Glamour Goes to War,” so to speak. However, these scarcities didn’t stop the women at the time from portraying their feminine image. It’s very prim and proper. But of course, this also depends on the socioeconomic background.
NFS: What was your favorite makeup look that you designed for Six Triple Eight, and how did that particular look contribute to the character or the story?
Maharaj: I think each look had a bit of a favorite characteristic for me; just being able to design for that time period and a period piece, in general, was so amazing for me. But, I particularly enjoyed designing some of the historical figures, such as Theodore and Elenore Roosevelt, looks because not only was Susan Sarandon portraying a real historical figure, but Elenore Roosevelt had such distinct characteristics: her eyebrows and her teeth. So, I had dentures created for Susan Sarandon to wear, along with making her eyebrows fuller and thicker. Additionally, Theodore Roosevelt himself had distinctive facial moles that I wanted to incorporate into Sam Waterston’s look because it was such a distinct part of President Roosevelt, also due to his poor health at the time.
NFS: How did you ensure that each character’s makeup subtly communicated her social status, geographical background, and personality without overshadowing the story?
Maharaj: Really delving into each character in the script and taking to production and getting an understanding of where these characters lived, what they did for a living, etc. helped me build their look. For example, Lena, played by Ebony Obsidian, one of the main characters at the start of the story, is still a high school student; her aunt owns a catering business catering to the wealthy. Therefore, I kept Lena’s look very simple and almost innocent. Even when she turned 18 and joined the army, there was still an innocence about her; it’s almost like she didn’t know what to expect but was in awe that she saw women who looked like her join the army serving a country that still had no respect for them. Additionally, Lena’s mum and aunt were working-class women, and because they were catering to the wealthy, I wanted to portray a bit of elegance and have them wear their signature red/burgundy nails and lipstick.
Meanwhile, the character Johnnie Mae, as I stated previously, is from a southern country town, so her look is subtle and simple. That’s the key to keeping each character’s look simplified so that it’s not the main thing the audience is focusing on but rather their story. But with Jonnie Mae coming out of the small town and joining the army, you see how that exposure evolves her look in the end. I think the time period went to that as well, and the fact that these were Army women meant there were regulations to follow.
NFS: How did you collaborate with the director and actors to tailor your makeup designs to enhance each character’s arc and development throughout the film?
Maharaj: Meetings, meetings, and more meetings, haha, also makeup tests to make sure the looks I created were approved for each character and met the vision of the directors and producers. But it all started off with me putting together a lookbook, with each character’s background, their starting makeup look, and how it changed when they enlisted into the army to being deployed to Europe. That gave the directors and producers a preview of my makeup ideas for each character. Even the historic icons such as the Roosevelts, Charity Adams, and Mary McLeod Bethune. Having the time to have these tests and conversations ahead of time made the entire process seamless.
Author: Jason Hellerman
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
