How The Cast Of Us Transformed Into Their Tethered Doppelgängers

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the movie Us.

Just when you thought it was impossible for Jordan Peele to scare you any more than he did with 2017's Get Out, he decided to make something that's sure to spook you faster than the shrill tap of a teacup. While Get Out is technically considered a social thriller, Peele's latest brainchild, Us, is a nosedive into the horror genre. Don't believe it? Then you haven't met The Tethered yet.

Peele had a clear vision for the sinister doppelgängers, but that doesn't mean executing that vision was a simple task for Scott Wheeler, the makeup department head for Us. Creating the characters' on-screen looks took a lot of planning, especially because the cast played two roles: the Wilson family and their Tethered counterparts (Lupita Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson and Red; Winston Duke as Gabe Wilson and Abraham; Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora Wilson and Umbrae; and Evan Alex as Jason Wilson and Pluto).

Yes, the doppelgängers had to look scary, but their physical characteristics had to also silently translate one important clue to the audience: The Wilsons and their copies are two sides of the same coin. After all, Peele says, "we're our own worst enemy" — and the cast had to look the part. But doing that is a lot harder than it sounds, so we tapped Wheeler and the hair department head for the film, Camille Friend, to tell us all the behind-the-scenes details.