The revered wigmaker, who worked on multiple movies, TV series, and Broadway plays, has passed away at the age of 89 at his home in London, a year after retirement.
- July 10, 2021
AceShowbiz - Paul Huntley, the wigmaker behind Dustin Hoffman's "Tootsie" look and Glenn Close's "Cruella de Vil" makeover, has died.
The 89 year old passed away at his home in London on Friday (09Jul21).
In a career that spanned more than five decades, Huntley also worked on "Cats" and gave Patti LuPone her iconic "Evita" bun.
His final project was designing the wigs for "Diana: The Musical" - the show about Princess Diana that was delayed by the pandemic, which will now begin performances on Broadway at the beginning of November (21).
Paul was a Broadway staple, creating looks for stars like Carol Channing, David Bowie, Harvey Fierstein, and Scarlett Johansson, who turned to him for help with her look for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
Huntley was honoured with an Excellence in Theatre Tony Award in 2003.
Alongside "Tootsie" and "101 Dalmatians", his film credits include "Fried Green Tomatoes", "Cleopatra", and Laurence Olivier's classic 1965 version of "Othello".
He announced his retirement following a fall last year (20).
Tributes poured in for the late wigmaker from Hollywood figures.
Actress Jackie Hoffman tweeted, "RIP Paul Huntley, the quintessential wig maestro. I had the honor of him wrapping my skull in Saran Wrap many times."
Another star Donna Murphy commented on Paul's Instagram, "Truly an honor to have worked with this genius artist over many years. His brilliance matched only by his generosity . I will miss him so, as will legions of others. My condolences to his family & dearest ones , & my eternal gratitude for the years of experiencing his artistry . There will never be another like you dear Paul. Rest in peace, beauty & love."
