Cynthia Erivo's Wicked wig maker reveals she was given just three days to create the design
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A London hairdresser has revealed how a Hollywood request left her shaking in her boots - after she was given just three days to create a wig for Cynthia Erivo's character in Wicked. The plot of Wicked follows the friendship between Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman with green skin played by Erivo, and Glinda, a popular rich girl played by Ariana Grande.
![[The Seven Sisters Road not the Yellow Brick one! Maria-Josee Mampuya Yonda, from the Democratic Republic (DRC) of Congo, welcomed the golden yet 'scary' chance to create a braided wig for Cynthia's character Elphaba in just three days (Pictured far right: Maria at her salon in Seven Sisters, along with staff)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/11/93751667-14251601-image-a-27_1736076413482.jpg)
Maria-Josee Mampuya Yonda, who's originally from the Democratic Republic (DRC) of Congo but runs a salon in North London, welcomed the golden yet 'scary' chance to create a braided wig for Elphaba's character after Cynthia's team decided her initial hairpiece was too thick, reported the BBC.
![[Called a micro knotless braided wig, it gives the illusion of real micro knotless braids - a style utilising one's own hair, in which tiny hair extensions are rhythmically fed into the the braid until a desired length is reached (Pictured: The custom wig Maria created for Cynthia)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/11/93751669-14251601-image-a-22_1736076371525.jpg)
Maria, who came to Britain as a refugee without a 'word of English' worked tirelessly for 'three days and three nights' to create the custom wig from her very own hair salon, Josee's Professional Braiding Studio, in Seven Sisters. Though Maria's skillful hands boast 30 years in the business and a recent feature in Vogue, she insists the entire project was a frightful one.
![[The specialist braider worked tirelessly for 'three days and three nights' to create the custom wig from her very own hair salon, Josee's Professional Braiding Studio (pictured), in Seven Sisters, north London]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/11/93751659-14251601-image-a-26_1736076408501.jpg)
Opening up to the BBC, she said: 'I wouldn't lie, I was trembling. I was scared, I was worried. [I thought] it wasn't up to my strength but I said I can do it. 'I got the call and I told my daughters "oh by the way we have to do a wig that's going to be used for a film and the actress is called Cynthia"'.
![[The plot of Wicked follows the friendship between Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman with green skin played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda, a popular rich girl played by Ariana Grande (Pictured: Cynthia Erivo wearing the braided wig, left, and Ariana Grande, with director Jon M. Chu)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/11/93751411-14251601-image-a-15_1736076290964.jpg)
