From "Witchy Mermaid" to "French Girl in Italy": Molly Gordon's Hairstylist Details 3 Venice Film Fest Looks

The 82nd annual Venice Film Festival wrapped last week. Much like France's Cannes Film Festival, it's steeped in European glamour and sophistication, and its red carpet gathers A-list celebs from all over the globe. This year, one of those celebs was Molly Gordon, known for her roles in The Bear, Booksmart, and Oh, Hi! During her time in Venice, she made three stunning appearances (including one in an archival Armani gown on the Frankenstein red carpet). The fashion was undeniably chic, but as beauty editors, we were focused on her hair and makeup, completed by Celebrity Hairstylist Barb Thompson and Celebrity Makeup Artist Melissa Hernandez.

Who What Wear gained exclusive access to Thompson's behind-the-scenes photo diary and look breakdowns. "We did three looks and wanted a common thread for the glam, but each look to stand out on its own," Thompson says. "With Venice being surrounded by water, we took inspo from mermaid texture and leaned into the elements."

It wasn't without challenge, though. Thompson says Venice is usually hot and humid, so she had to be prepared and come with the right tools and products to make Gordon's hair look perfect. Not only that, but the city's signature transportation poses a risk. "You get the client ready at their hotel, usually, and follow with them in the water taxis to the carpet," she says. "Most likely, the talent has been transferred by boat! So as a hairstylist, you pack your necessities and pray a big splash of water doesn’t come aboard!!" Ahead, see all three of Gordon's sophisticated hair looks and learn about the products Thompson trusted to create each one.

Look 1: Cool-Girl Texture

The first look was all about effortless, cool-girl waves. Thompson started by prepping Gordon's damp hair with Rōz Milk Serum ($52), applying it through mid-lengths and ends for shine and heat protection. "For the roots, I sprayed Rōz Air Thickening Spray ($39) for some extra volume and hold." To prevent Venice's heat and humidity from ruining the smooth texture of Gordon's hair, Thompson used a "generous spray" of R+Co Bleu Smooth + Seal Blow Dry Mist ($66) before blow-drying. "Once dry, I used the new GHD Chronos Curve Grand 1.25-Inch Curling Iron ($259) and curled the hair away from the face." Finally, she tousled her hair and finished it off with Rōz Santa Lucia Oil ($45) for shine and separation. Thompson said the goal was to make her hair tendrils look "almost snake-like."

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Look 2: French Girl in Italy

Thompson coined the term "French girl in Italy," and it was all about a hair accessory—a black velvet bow to be exact. "Molly and I have a love for bows and ribbons. It’s becoming a signature look. This look was for a sit-down chat with another actress, and when I think about people sitting down to have a conversation, I think, 'Well, most likely they will be showing more profile than straight on, so how can we make that interesting?'" The answer was a beautiful, voluminous shape and a standout accessory.

The goal was to create a "loose and touchable" texture that had rounded ends. Thompson once again prepped Gordon's hair with the Rōz Milk Serum ($52) and Air Thickening Spray ($39). Then, she set the hair at the crown of the head with rollers for volume. From there, she used the T3 SinglePass 1.5-Inch Curling Iron ($150) in alternating directions, setting the curls to cool. "It’s very important to let a curl go from hot to cool before touching it, especially for these barely there waves, to ensure longevity in the look," she says.

Once cool, Thompson brushed out the curls and set them with Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray ($52), backcombing the crown to prevent volume deflation. The finishing touch? Jennifer Behr's Adley Velvet Bow Barrette ($198).

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Look 3: Witchy Mermaid

Last but certainly not least, Thompson and Gordon opted for an au naturel look for her Frankenstein red carpet appearance. "Molly has incredible natural wavy-curly hair, and we wanted to lean all the way in," she says. "This day in particular was jam-packed. We had done the 'French girl in Italy' look hours prior, so this was a full reset."

Straight from the shower, Thompson gently towel-dried Gordon's hair, adding the Rōz Milk Serum ($52) through the mid-lengths and ends. Next, she applied R+Co's Aircraft Pomade Mousse ($38) to lift the roots, placing setting pins to pump up volume. From there, she immediately began to blow-dry the hair with a diffuser. "To be honest, I wish we had more time to diffuse, but that’s show business!"

Once dry, Thompson used a 0.5-inch curling iron from T3's Switch Kit ($196) and the GHD Chronos Curve Grand 1.25-Inch Curling Iron ($259) to create waves that followed the shape of her natural texture. "We really wanted this look to feel authentic and raw," she says.

After perfecting the shape of the waves, Thompson used Leonor Greyl Voluforme Styling Spray ($36) to keep the volume and shape at the top. "Throughout the ends for volume and definition, I used Rōz Air Thickening Spray ($39). "Pro tip: This product is multifunctional and great on both wet and dry hair."

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