GAGA’S GUY TELLS ALL
Featuring Joico Celebrity Artist, Frederic Aspiras…
If there were ever a Q/A to sit in on, this was the one: Gaga’s personal hairstylist, Joico Celebrity Artist, Frederic Aspiras, took to the stage at a very special industry screening of House of Gucci, presented by Joico. This distinguished pro shared behind-the-scenes details of his creations for the movie…an inspiring story that ended up becoming the biggest passion project of his life.
Freddie’s work on the biopic film, starring long-time client, Lady Gaga, is nothing short of mesmerizing. And it’s no real surprise that this pro of Vietnamese- Filipino descent is only the second Asian hairdresser ever to be nominated for an Oscar in the category of makeup and hairstyling. Creating 52 looks from ten (self-designed) hero wigs for the character of Patrizia, Freddie spent over five months researching and studying the character, the era, the nitty-gritty details of hairdressing during from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Sharing the story of this project had Freddie in tears for much of the discussion, as his beloved mother – the woman responsible for giving him the skills and drive to pursue a career in hair – passed away six months before the film started shooting. Here’s a highlight reel of some of the most memorable moments of the presentation….
Freddie’s work on House of Gucci is a love letter to his mother
“This film is near and dear to my heart because I put everything I knew about hairdressing into this project. I learned all those classic techniques as a young kid growing up in my mom’s salon, where she taught me all that I know about life in this business. And I’m so blessed and honored to have been able to work with people like Gaga and director, Ridley Scott, both of whom gave me the opportunity to process my grief. This film is for her.”
Research and prep was intensely rigorous
“I prepared for this film for five months during Covid, studying in my house. I didn’t want to do an Italian film cliché, but instead wanted the hair to be as authentic as possible. After all, this is a movie about a person’s life over 25 years. Research meant actually interviewing people from Italy. Understanding characterization is very important for films like this…you’re telling a real woman’s story. It’s not about hair…it’s about the actress. And we use hair as tool for them to delve into the mind of the character they’re portraying. I used the exact techniques that hairdressers of the 1970s used…wet set rolls, backcombing, French lacing, spiral perms, you name it. Everything was done to a T from that era. Because I wanted the texture, the feel the vibe, the way it moved…it needed to transport you to that time. In the end, I created a 450-page directory of Gaga’s looks as Patrizia — each page of the script became a map, so when I got onto the set, the creation became seamless.”
FAQ
What it was like on-set?
“If you came to our glam trailer, you’d see floor-to-ceiling mood boards. It was like CSI…the walls looked as though someone committed had a crime – which they did, in the story! I created a total of 55+ looks for the movie, and ten hero wigs, which were custom colored for an exact match. Since continuity is important – and a movie isn’t shot from beginning to end – the process was grueling. Days started at 3 a.m. and went until 11 p.m.; and we colored every wig to match exactly. Each day, we’d bald-cap Gaga’s own hair and move on to prosthetics. It took four-to-five hours to prep her. Hair had to be flawless, because with today’s film technology, you can see every little detail.”
What was the biggest challenge?
“We were in Rome, which was shut down from Covid. There was no contact with people; you couldn’t go outside or the police would come. We were staying in quarantine hotels. It was so hard to come home from a day of working at 11 p.m., order food, go to bed, sleep, and get picked up at 3 a.m. again. This went on for three months.”
What were the perfect hair products for the film?
“Once Gaga would start shooting, I couldn’t touch her up, because she needed to be in the moment without interruptions that break character. Laying products was key: I used Joico in my mom’s hair salon when I was young, and so I reached for JoiGel to authentically wet-set Gaga’s hair…it would stay longer and not be crunchy. Every day, prior to her going on set, I would layer Joico’s Dream Blowout, Heat Hero, and Power Spray…when she got into a car or van, that was it. And there wasn’t a single flyaway! Her hair never fell. Even though Gaga’s hair was under a wig, she insisted we color her hair brown for the role; she wanted it to be so authentic. But then we had to color it back to blonde for press tours. Thank God for Joico’s Defy Damage – it’s what brought her hair back to health; and how we always keep her hair so long, blonde, and icy.”
What did you learn on set?
“Director Ridley Scott guided me through the first haircut. I actually had to do it in front of him. The work is a collaboration; even when your ego as an artist is fragile, you have to learn to relinquish it, and remember that the work is not about you. I would tell myself, Don’t be bitter, be better!” That was a challenge for me in this film and it helped me grow.”
What Freddie told Variety magazine his Oscar nomination means
“In the Asian community, we are taught to strive to always do perfectly and be successful. For my mom, it was her work ethic of being honest, hardworking, and providing for the family. She worked three jobs so we didn’t have to worry about our future. That’s what Asian parents do. They sacrifice everything for their children and give up things that they would wan themselves and let the children reap the benefits of the hard work. It is something I need to pay her back for. If I can do that for other Asian-Americans who are looking to step out of the norm and be more than they think they can be, then…the possibilities are endless. My drive has always been a reflection of my mom’s upbringing…you have to keep trying and you never give up.”
