Many film fanatics are familiar with actress Lily Gladstone from her Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning role of Mollie Kylie in Martin Scorsese’s 2023 film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Ni Niro. There are some in the industry who may consider it her breakout role. As the first Native American to take home the Golden Globe for Best Actress, it is a big deal indeed.
But for the award-lauded actress, an indie film called ‘Fancy Dance’ starring Lily as the main character Jax which was released on the heels of Killers, and directed by Erica Tremblay, a Native woman making her directorial debut, it became an even more important work because it enabled her to use her press engagements to highlight the horrifying statistics around missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Now available to watch on Apple TV+ (Run! Don’t walk!) Lily plays Jax, a queer Native woman whose sister goes missing. Following her sister’s disappearance, Jax and her niece Roki, played by Isabel Deroy-Olson, must stick together. Desperate to keep what’s left of their family intact, Jax and Roki defy the law and hit the road on a journey to the Grand Nation Powwow in Oklahoma City.
Lily and the rest of the cast bring to light powerful performances that highlight a critical issue. And it is her on-screen presence that adds a crucial layer of authenticity to the role. While it may not be the first thing you think of when describing an award-winning or memorable performance, a character’s look can become an inseparable aspect of how we remember iconic on-screen performances and characters.
One woman who understands this well is renowned Hollywood makeup artist Sharon Tabb, who is responsible for creating Lily and the rest of the cast’s look in ‘Fancy Dance’.
Sharon has worked on projects focused on Native storytelling for over a decade now, including the Emmy-nominated FX series ‘Reservation Dogs’, and was hired as both hair and makeup department head due to her vast experience and ties to the Native community.
Given the journey that Jax was embarking on throughout ‘Fancy Dance’, Sharon created a version of the popular no-makeup makeup look to enable the emphasis to be on Lily’s performance, without taking away from her striking looks.
There are so many elements that go into making a film or an actor’s performance awards-worthy, and we wanted to learn more about the hair and make-up process from Sharon to understand how this is a vital aspect of a film or TV series, that can then become known as an actor’s “breakout role”.
Sharon created her version of no-makeup makeup look by mixing moisturizer and foundation for a very natural look, while opting out of using concealer to show Jax’s lack of concern with her appearance. For both Jax and Roki, she also opted for long natural hairstyles and braids, which became more loose as they are on the move, and for Jax, she needed to carefully place extensions on Lily’s short hair to lean towards traditional long native hair without it looking fake.
Sharon and her team also got to do a 180 from the natural looks and experiment with more glamorous looks when creating looks for the traditional powwow scenes and creating looks for characters working at a strip club, including glitter and space buns.
Wanting to learn more about the process of her work with Lily Gladstone and the cast on ‘Fancy Dance’, on ‘Reservation Dogs’, and her involvement with Native storytelling on screen, we had the opportunity to speak with Sharon about her artistry and how what you see on screen can communicate a multitude of messages, including a character’s hair and makeup.
Where did your beauty/hair and makeup career begin, and what inspired you to pursue this path?
It all began when I was 19 years old and studying as an art major. I worked at a local department store and was transferred to the cosmetics department. At that moment, I realized that applying makeup was my calling, and I instantly decided that I wanted to pursue a career in film makeup.
How did you initially get involved in ‘Fancy Dance’ and what drew you to the film?
I was the department head for makeup during all three seasons of ‘Reservation Dogs’, which allowed me to build a working relationship with director Erica Tremblay and Lily Gladstone through our collaboration on the show. I was drawn to ‘Fancy Dance’ because it addresses the epidemic of missing Indigenous women and girls. Additionally, the relationship between Jax and Roki is particularly special.
Can you tell us about the process of coming up with Jax’s look for the film?
It began with a discussion involving Erica and Lily. After we explored their vision, I conducted a makeup and hair test with Lily to create various looks for her character, Jax. For Lily’s no makeup look, I used a cream foundation mixed with a moisturizer to create a skin look as well as a cream blush to create a dewy subtle look. We also chose not to use any concealer around the eyes to keep a more tired and stressed look.
What was it like to work with Lily Gladstone, and how involved was she in the behind-the-scenes creative aspects like styling and HMU?
Lily Gladstone is a joy to work with. She has no ego and treats everyone as part of the team. Lily was very engaged in the looks we created for her character, Jax. Her hair was mid-length, and we decided to use clip-in hair extensions to achieve a longer hairstyle for the various braids and long hairstyles we designed. For the braiding hairstyling, we dampened the hair and used a small amount of gel. We applied tension while doing the braids so they would last all day, and if we needed to do hair changes, we would re-dampen our restyle.
Why was it important to ensure authenticity when creating hairstyles on the characters?
Ensuring authenticity in hairstyle creation is crucial because each culture is unique and tells its own story. With so many diverse cultures, it’s important to do thorough research and collaborate with your team to ensure that the hairstyles you create are true to that story.
For Lily’s hair, we chose a single braid for her main hero look. I would then mess up her braid while they were on the run and for a hangover day after a night at the strip club. I would loosen it up and pull out strands of her for that disheveled hair look. When she was trying to look proper during her dinner with her father and stepmom, we chose two traditional low braids and kept them very polished.
From scenes in a strip club, to a traditional powwow and the everyday looks, how did you approach the variety of settings and scenes that characters were involved In?
You just need to plan ahead with the character breakdowns and be prepared for each unique day. It’s fun to create looks for the different scenes and various locations. You also have to keep in mind whether it will be an all-night shoot or if you’ll be in a hot room. In such cases, having small handheld fans or a portable light for touch-ups can be really helpful. It keeps things challenging and exciting!
For the strip club scene, one of the looks we decided on for Crystal Lightning’s character featured space buns adorned with rhinestones. We aimed for a playful vibe for her stripper character. In the powwow scenes, we opted for traditional, structured braids for the flashback fancy dance with Roki and her mother. In the second powwow, which takes place at the end of the film, the girls are on the run, so we style their hair to appear disheveled.
For their everyday looks, we chose simpler styles that required less maintenance. Their everyday looks for Lily had clip-in extensions, a center part with one braid down the back, and Isabel’s was a center part low pony.
Your work has primarily focused on projects that center native storytelling, including ‘Reservation Dogs’ among others. Why is this important to you as a makeup artist and creative?
Being involved in native storytelling is a tremendous honor. Over the past decade, I have gained invaluable insights, and I believe this work holds great significance. Each culture I encounter is unique, with fascinating stories to share. I feel privileged that they welcome me into their narratives, and I am committed to honoring their trust by giving my absolute best to make them proud.
What were the biggest challenges working on ‘Fancy Dance’, and what were the most exciting moments?
This is a difficult question for me because, looking back, it was such a magical project to work on. If I had to choose one memorable aspect, it would be the overnight shoots. Staying up all night can take a minute to adjust to. Also, during one of our shoot locations, we found and adopted an abandoned dog. The dog, which we nicknamed Roki, would hang out with us in the makeup trailer while we prepared the team and spent time with the locations team during shooting. We had a very supportive crew, and Lily and Isabel especially loved Roki (her name is Cinnamon now).
The powwow scene was truly captivating, filled with stunning regalia that brought the community together. Witnessing everyone in their traditional attire was an incredible experience, and the energy of the dancing was simply unforgettable! Plus, Ryan Redcorn was the powwow Emcee, who was hilarious and kept us entertained. He is a hoot!
With Lily’s career reaching Academy Award level, films like ‘Fancy Dance’ getting a home on a large platform like Apple TV and shows like ‘Reservation Dogs’ becoming so popular, how do you hope this will continue to open doors for more native creatives to tell their stories and showcase their work?
I feel truly honored and blessed to be a part of these stories, and I look forward to continuing my involvement with native narratives. I am grateful for the long-lasting relationships I’ve built and look forward to what the future brings.
What are you working on next that we can look out for?
I completed a pilot earlier this year titled ‘The Sensitive Kind’, which has been picked up for further episodes to be filmed in early 2025. This project, from FX Networks, was created by Sterlin Harjo and Ethan Hawke.
You can see more of Sharon Tabb’s work on her website, and follow her on Instagram. You can also watch ‘Fancy Dance’ streaming now on Apple TV+, and ‘Reservation Dogs’ on HULU.
