Bringing the Wicker Husband to the screen was no small feat. Art director and prosthetic makeup designer Joe Dunckley, alongside makeup and hair designer Sarah Rubano from the acclaimed Wētā Workshop, led the charge, collaborating with directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer. The goal was to create a fully practical suit and facial prosthetics that would allow Skarsgård to move and emote freely. Dunckley emphasized the importance of this realism, telling IndieWire, "The success of the film hinged on the quality of the makeup itself; if you were going to be invested in this film, that character needed to be believable in that world."

The Art of the Wicker Transformation

The Wētā team dedicated over 18 months to researching, developing, and manufacturing the Wicker Husband's appearance. Traditional prosthetic materials proved inadequate for the complex geometry of wicker. "Traditional materials wouldn’t be viable because wicker’s geometry is just far too complex; it’s really unmoldable," Dunckley explained to IndieWire. This challenge pushed them to innovate, developing entirely new methods using cutting-edge 3D printing technology in unconventional ways.

The process involved meticulous steps, from concept blocking and physical weave samples by head weaver Jasmin Van Lith, to 3D modeling, test prints, and makeup trials. The aim was to replicate muscle fiber, ensuring the wicker was tight enough to hold form yet flexible enough for movement. The final body suit consisted of 50 individual 3D-printed pieces, anchored to a thin spandex or power mesh base. For the face, individually crafted wicker ears, lips, a jaw, forehead, cheekbones, and nose were applied. Even the wig, eyelashes, and facial hair were intricately made from muka, a New Zealand flax plant, teased and knotted onto the weave.

Sarah Rubano highlighted the unique challenge of creating a romantic lead rather than a creature. "Alexander’s going to be completely covered up, but we need his essence to shine through," she stated, underscoring the need for the costume to enhance, not obscure, Skarsgård's performance. The transformation was almost entirely practical, with minimal CGI used only for subtle effects like sunlight peeking through the woven gaps and minor adjustments to the actor's tear ducts.

Dressing the Wicker Man

While Wētā handled the upper body and face, Hungarian costume designers Tóth András Dániel and Attila Godena-Juhász took on the task of creating the Wicker Husband's lower half and wardrobe. A last-minute decision by the directors to show the character nude necessitated a rapid development of wicker pants. The duo ingeniously developed a technique involving 3D printing on an elastic base with a heat-treated, three-dimensional paint. This included a "wicker penis," which Dániel humorously recounted Skarsgård's interest in during fittings. Every detail was then hand-painted for realism.

For the Wicker Husband's clothing, Dániel and Godena-Juhász drew inspiration from Hungarian folk art and 17th- to 19th-century styles, creating a unique, timeless aesthetic. To emphasize Skarsgård's enlarged, wicker-enhanced physique, garments were intentionally made slightly smaller, giving the impression he had outgrown them. A padded under-layer also maintained the character's distinct silhouette even when the full prosthetics weren't worn.

The character's grand reveal in a dark blue-greyish tweed wedding suit, with a 17th-century cut, perfectly blended sophistication with a snug, almost sensual fit. In a memorable dancing scene, removing the jacket further elevated his presence, showcasing the seamless blend of cinematic craft that made the Wicker Husband a truly majestic and unforgettable figure on screen.