Hollywood Has Some Notoriously Bad Wigs, But People Say These 11 Are Actually So Good, They Look Real

Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community about the best or most convincing wigs they've seen on a TV show or movie.

Here are 11 of their top answers:

1."Definitely Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls."

<div> <p>"When I was 13, finding out she wore a wig to be Regina was a little like what seeing Santa take the beard off is like for small children."</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/genzie" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:genzie;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">genzie</a></p> <p>In 2016, her costar Rajiv Surendra told <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74679X1524629&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fkristenharris1%2F1most-convincing-wigs-in-tv-shows-movies&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.seventeen.com%2Fcelebrity%2Fhot-guys%2Finterviews%2Fa41790%2Frajiv-surendra-kevin-gnapoor-rap-mean-girls%2F&xcust=7770238%7C0%7CRSS%7C53623054&xs=1" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" rel="sponsored" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Seventeen;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link">Seventeen</a>, "They had a wig made out of human hair by a very well-known wig maker from this little town called Stratford, Ontario. I don't know if this is actually true, but I remember hearing something about Rachel not wanting to bleach all of her hair. So the front bit was bleach blonde, so that was her real hair, but the wig was fake. </p> <p>I remember walking in to the makeup and hair trailer regularly and seeing the wig being washed. They actually would wash it and put this little shower cap thing on it that they would hook the blow dryer onto that would dry the wig. It was like a $10,000 wig."</p> </div><span> (c) Paramount / courtesy Everett Collection</span>

Here's what Rachel's hair looked like under the wig:

  Dimitrios Kambouris / WireImage / Via Getty
Dimitrios Kambouris / WireImage / Via Getty

2."100% Robin Tunney's in The Craft!"

Robin, with long hair, wearing a dark jacket and standing outdoors

Here's what Robin's hair looked like under the wig:

Robin with a shaved head wears a casual hoodie and layered necklaces, looking to the side. The background is simple and nondescript
Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com

3."Ted Danson throughout Cheers."

Ted in a denim shirt poses outdoors among greenery

Here's what Ted's hair looked like under the wig:

close up of Ted in a tux with a receding hairline
Mediapunch / MediaPunch via Getty Images

4."Taika Waititi’s as Edward ‘Blackbeard’ Teach in Our Flag Means Death. It is very natural-looking and just gorgeous (as is Taika)."

—bubblyoctopus866

Here's what Taika's hair looked like under the wig:

  Bsr Agency / Getty Images
Bsr Agency / Getty Images

5."Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown. Mostly because it's the most natural-looking hair and hairstyle I've ever seen on TV and looks so similar to her real hair."

<div> <p>"I'm not sure why they even gave her a wig anyway!"</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/moartreatspls" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:moartreatspls;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">moartreatspls</a></p> <p>In 2021, Kate told <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74679X1524629&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fkristenharris1%2F1most-convincing-wigs-in-tv-shows-movies&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elle.com%2Fbeauty%2Fg36396430%2Fkate-winslet-best-beauty-looks%2F&xcust=7770238%7C0%7CRSS%7C53618070&xs=1" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" rel="sponsored" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Elle;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link">Elle</a>, "For this role, we wanted to change me, but not in obvious ways. It's amazing what you can do when you change the hair and change the person's clothes to what you're used to seeing. That brilliant hair is a wig—plus, we added in makeup to put some darkness on my face. Also, if you look closely at the brow, you can see that it's a different shape. I do not touch my eyebrows at all. They are naturally arched. For Mare, we added in these teeny, tiny patches of an eyebrow. This woman developed them for me when I was doing <i>The Reader</i>. They are like little lashes that you glue to your eyebrow, and they completely blend in and disappear."</p> </div><span> HBO / Via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80XL1Fy_UTM" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:youtube.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">youtube.com</a></span>

Here's what Kate's hair looked like under the wig:

  Dave Benett / Dave Benett / Getty Images
Dave Benett / Dave Benett / Getty Images

6."Paget Brewster on Criminal Minds."

<div> <p>"My mind was blown when she showed her short gray hair, which she still rocked❣️💖"</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/steen73" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:steen73;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">steen73</a></p> <p>In 2018, Paget <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74679X1524629&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fkristenharris1%2F1most-convincing-wigs-in-tv-shows-movies&url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fpagetpaget%2Fstatus%2F1075215051642986496%3Flang%3Den&xcust=7770238%7C0%7CRSS%7C53619582&xs=1" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" rel="sponsored" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:tweeted;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link">tweeted</a>, "I cut all of my long, dyed hair off to grow out my real hair. It’s 5 shades of grey and I love it. I will no longer try to look 30 until I’m 70. Suck it, Hollywood."</p> <p>She <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6pmc4Tr6MD/?hl=en" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:rocked;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">rocked</a> her natural gray color for <i>Criminal Minds: Evolution</i> Season 2.</p> </div><span> Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images</span>

Here's what Paget's hair looked like under the wig:

Twitter: @pagetpaget

7."I feel naive for this one, but almost everyone in The Lord of the Rings! I for sure thought that was Viggo Mortensen's real hair."

<div> <p>"The wigs in that movie are top-tier!</p> <p>Apparently, Billy Boyd (Pippin) was the only person in the movies who wasn't <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74679X1524629&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fkristenharris1%2F1most-convincing-wigs-in-tv-shows-movies&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewrap.com%2Flord-of-the-rings-hobbit-tolkien-15-facts-fellowship-ring-photos%2F&xcust=7770238%7C0%7CRSS%7C0&xs=1" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" rel="sponsored" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:wearing;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link">wearing</a> a wig."</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/magicconnch" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:magicconnch;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">magicconnch</a></p> </div><span> (c) New Line / courtesy Everett Collection</span>

Here's what Viggo's hair looked like under the wig:

  Gregg Deguire / WireImage / Via Getty
Gregg Deguire / WireImage / Via Getty

8."Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge! I thought and still think that that was the most beautiful hair I have ever seen! I was so sad to find out it was a wig! That means it isn’t obtainable!"

Nicole with long, wavy hair wearing a glamourous sleeveless gown

Here's what Nicole's hair looked like under the wig:

Nicole with short, light hair pulled back in an updo
David Mcnew / Getty Images

9."The one Kevin Malone [played by Brian Baumgartner] wore to Jim and Pam's wedding on The Office."

<div> <p>"You'll never convince me that wasn't just Ashton Kutcher in those episodes."</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/robert_dunder" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:robert_dunder;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">robert_dunder</a></p> </div><span> NBC / Via Peacock</span>

"You'll never convince me that wasn't just Ashton Kutcher in those episodes."

robert_dunder

NBC / Via Peacock

Here's what Brian's hair looked like under the hairpiece:

Brian with short, thinning hair wearing a suit
Justin Lubin / © NBC / Courtesy Everett Collection

10."I can't believe Tessa Thompson was hiding neon orange hair (from Sorry to Bother You) under her wig in Thor: Ragnarok!"

— Kristen Harris

Here's what Tessa's hair looked like under the wig:

  Pete Lee /© Annapurna Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection
Pete Lee /© Annapurna Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

11.And finally: "Honestly, I have to say Gary Oldman as Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

<div> <p>"I <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74679X1524629&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fkristenharris1%2F1most-convincing-wigs-in-tv-shows-movies&url=https%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Farticle%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Fset-secrets-darkest-harry-movie-yet%2F&xcust=7770238%7C0%7CRSS%7C0&xs=1" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" rel="sponsored" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:thought;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link">thought</a> that was his real hair for the longest time."</p> <p>—<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/artsyfox31" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:artsyfox31;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">artsyfox31</a></p> </div><span> (c) Warner Brothers / courtesy Everett Collection</span>

Here's what Gary's hair looked like under the wig:

Gary with chin-length hair and glasses is wearing a dark blazer and a casual shirt, smiling at the camera. The background is plain
J. Vespa / WireImage / Via Getty

Now, let's flip the script — what's the absolute worst wig you've seen in a TV show or movie? Let us know in the comments!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length/clarity.