Martin Samuel’s Oscar-Worthy Hairstyles

Martin Samuel styles hair for some of film’s biggest stars. For over 35 years, Samuel has been designing hairstyles for feature films and working as a personal hair stylist for several actors. This year, he is getting attention from the Academy for his recent work as the department head hair stylist for the film “Hitchcock.”

“It’s a big operation being the department head because you’re running the show as far as the hair department is concerned,” Samuel told WEBN in Los Angeles.But the Oscar nominated hairstylist wasn’t alone throughout the film. Makeup artists Peter Montagna and Howard Berger helped Samuel put the final touches on the 1950s looks.

Although the Oscar nominee admitted that some of his previous work required a lot of research, he wasn’t a stranger to Anthony Hopkin’s character Alfred Hitchcock.

“I’ve seen so many of his films through my life and the Hitchcock blondes and the mystery and suspense,” Samuel said. “And him, himself, with his wonderful way of talking and presence. Yeah, I was pretty familiar with Hitchcock.”

Once the research was completed, he had the complex and exciting task of recreating Hitchcock’s infamous bald head on Hopkins.

“Anthony has a completely full head of white hair. So, I knew how I was going to approach him,” Samuel told WEBN. “We were going to shave the complete top of his scalp to give him that Alfred Hitchcock baldness and color his hair in.”

Samuel wasn’t just in charge of hairstyling Hopkins. He worked on the characters Alma (Dame Helen Mirren), Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johansson), James D’Arcy (Anthony Perkins), and Vera Miles (Jessica Biel).

Samuel and the “Hitchcock” styling team are one of three nominees in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Category. The other nominees include “Les Miserables” and “The Hobbit.”