Bonnie Clevering: Styling the Stars: A Hairstylist's Journey Through Five Decades of Cinema

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Bonnie Clevering's half-century career as a Hollywood hairstylist reads like a who's who of cinema royalty. From styling Elvis Presley and Bette Davis during the twilight of the studio system to creating iconic looks for Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and Kristen Stewart, Bonnie has maintained the perfect coif through five decades of filmmaking evolution.

Her journey began in 1964 when she arrived in Hollywood with a Florida hairstyling license and a dream. Through determination and a fortuitous connection, she found herself working at 20th Century Fox, learning the essential craft of theatrical hairstyling – from applying period wigs to creating looks that could withstand the demands of filmmaking. As she shares in this candid conversation, the role extends far beyond styling; it's about maintaining meticulous continuity across scenes that might be filmed months apart.

Bonnie's stories humanize the legends she's worked alongside. She recalls playing practical jokes on Elvis (including one involving spirit gum as "hand lotion" that left The King picking adhesive from his fingers all night), cooking her famous sausage biscuits and gravy for the Ocean's Eleven cast in Las Vegas, and witnessing Brad Pitt's quiet generosity toward crew members facing personal hardships. Throughout her extraordinary career spanning 120+ productions, she's developed close bonds with directors like Oliver Stone and Steven Soderbergh, becoming part of their trusted "family" of collaborators.

Perhaps most fascinating is Bonnie's perspective on Hollywood's transformation – from the controlled environment of studio lots to the global, budget-conscious productions of today. Her advice to aspiring hairstylists and her younger self alike? "Take everything a little lighter and not quite so serious." Discover more of Bonnie's remarkable Hollywood journey in her upcoming memoir "Continuity: Life Beyond the Credits," available this September on the books website: https://continuitybybonnieclevering.com/

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