‘Bridgerton’: Adjoa Andoh Has Custom Wigs For Her Role as Lady Danbury

Lady Danbury is one of the most important supporting characters in Bridgerton. Much of that comes down to the writing, and especially from Adjoa Andoh’s captivating performance. But the woman who has seen it all wouldn’t be quite what she is without that look. Specifically, her wigs. 

Bridgerton has a concept that demands striking looks to convey the opulent lifestyles of its subjects. The lavish sets, the ornate costumes, the regal performances — everything has to exude wealth. And for characters like Lady Danbury, that means creating her costumes from scratch, including her iconic hairstyles.

Adjoa Andoh’s look as Lady Danbury requires a custom wig

When Lady Danbury speaks, other characters in the scene tend to shut up and listen. Within seconds of her first appearance on Bridgerton, she instantly reads as someone who knows far more about life near the top of the monarchy than most. Andoh’s withering stares and warm smiles are elevated by the character’s perpetually striking looks.

According to an inside look at the show via Shondaland, those looks take some doing. And one of the most important elements are the custom wigs made just for Andoh’s use. “My hair is about a millimeter high,” the veteran British actor clarified.

Her main wig — styled high, dotted with ornate yet tasteful jewelry — is a key part of the process of transforming her casual real-life look into Lady Danbury’s lavish appearance. “[The wig] allows me to tell the story visually,” she pointed out.

Does Lady Danbury require more than one wig?

Lady Danbury does use multiple wigs, depending on the scene. However, she is usually seen in her primary, custom wig, according to Insider. Sometimes, the character appears in casual wigs or in a slightly different style, but that’s rare. Still, even one scene on Bridgerton where the character is out of costume means developing a new hairpiece for Andoh to wear.

Unlike many of the characters on the show, who tend to wear extensions and hairpieces, Lady Danbury’s look requires a full wig. While the character has changed and softened slightly across the series, she tends to appear with fully-styled hair.

One benefit of having a complete wig, thanks to Andoh’s short natural hair, is that much of that styling work takes place without the actor sitting in the makeup chair. While it is by no means a simple task to properly fit her wig, it does save her from spending quite so much time having her hair poked at.

Maintaining and styling wigs is a crucial element of  the ‘Bridgerton’ vibe

Bridgerton has been filming since the summer of 2022. The third season will have new primary protagonists and antagonists, new set locations, and, yes, a whole new set of costumes and wigs. You can’t do this show’s unique style without surprising the audience with a few new looks for this year’s courting season, after all.

Part of said unique style is how often the looks intentionally divert away from the historical looks of the monarchy. Marie Claire reports that modern hairstyles are very much an intentional part of the alt-history show’s vibe. Inspiration is taken from old Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn, and new pop looks like Beyoncé’s afro era.

The visual storytelling is more important than anything. Lady Danbury needs only a handful of wigs with one primary look. She has a simpler, classy European look. For Queen Charlotte, dozens of wigs are created every season. She cannot appear in the same look twice, lest it undermine the regal opulence her character represents.

For Bridgerton, making sure the leads look great isn’t enough. Some of the most expensive costuming work is for supporting characters or even background actors. The Netflix drama spares no expense when it comes to building the unique, dream-like atmosphere of its candy-colored alt-history story.