By Cecilia Sarantopoulos
Editor’s note: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1–6 of Agatha All Along.
What do chocolate pudding and ancient Greece have in common? For Greek American makeup artist Vasilios Tanis, both served as inspiration for the spellbinding looks he created for Marvel Television’s WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Teaming up once again with his partner-in-crime, head of hair Cindy Welles—who also worked on WandaVision—the dynamic duo dove into the details of their creative process, sharing favorite looks, muddy on-set adventures, and the collaborative magic behind the scenes that led to Agatha’s bewitching style.
“It was such an honor to help shape Agatha’s look in WandaVision,” Tanis shares in an exclusive interview with D23. “I drew inspiration from ancient Greek art, costumes, pottery, and even sarcophagi—a mix of ancient elements with a modern twist. I wanted Agatha to be unconventional yet beautifully eerie.”
From the very first episode of Agatha All Along, the character is stripped of her former confidence. “Agatha is completely deconstructed at first. She’s caught in a spell, disheveled, and unsure of her identity,” Tanis explains. During those moments, her hair is deliberately messy, often tied back in a loose ponytail that becomes a nuisance during her detective work. “Then, as we move forward—especially during the trials of The Witches’ Road—there’s a lot more freedom. The beach house and music scene were particularly fun; I drew on various pop culture references to bring those moments to life.”
As a visual symbol of Agatha’s power, the color purple plays a vital role in both her magic and her makeup. “I always try to incorporate purple into Agatha’s makeup whenever I can—it’s a foretelling of her growing power,” Tanis notes. Similarly, the character Alice Wu-Gulliver, a protective witch, is tied to the color orange. “We used the same approach with Alice,” says Welles. “For key moments, we added hints of orange to her hair to complement her power.”
The intricacies of creating these looks extended far beyond color palettes. One episode, set on the treacherous Witches’ Road, had much of the coven engulfed in sinking mud—leaving the actors drenched in brown goo. This called for some creative thinking on Tanis’ part: “I made chocolate pudding to use on Kathryn Hahn’s face,” he reveals, laughing. “The solution we used in the show [for the rest of the characters’ bodies] is a chemical one, so I opted for [chocolate] pudding to get the same look without any irritation.”
Tanis and Welles’ collaboration extended to working closely with the entire cast. “A lot of the actors trust us completely,” says Tanis. “They’ve worked with us before, so there’s this great synergy.” Typically, costume designer Daniel Selon sets the tone, and then Tanis and Welles jump in to enhance each character’s look. “We have to see the costumes first—that’s key,” Tanis adds. “Sometimes, the moment an actor steps into the makeup chair is when their transformation truly begins. It’s the biggest compliment to us because it shows that our work helps bring the character to life.”
As for their favorite looks? Welles couldn’t choose just one. “Honestly, all of them,” she admits. Tanis, on the other hand, teased that the best is yet to come. “My favorites are in episodes that haven’t aired yet. Great things are coming.”