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Bebe Neuwirth: 'Tadpole'

Neuwirth plays a sexy siren in "Tadpole."

(InStyle) -- Playing a sexy, sensual siren in the indie comedy "Tadpole" wasn't much of a stretch for Bebe Neuwirth, the Broadway veteran who first bedazzled TV audiences as sharp-tongued, saucy Lilith on the popular '80s comedy "Cheers."

This time, she's a conniving chiropractor who ends up in bed with her best friend's (Sigourney Weaver) 15-year-old stepson, Oscar (Aaron Stanford). Quite the bizarre love triangle, to be sure, but Neuwirth handles the twists and turns with aplomb—with a little help from Laura Mercier, Azzedine Alaia and Brooks Brothers. "I thought I looked like a real person, and it helped me play the character," says the actress.

Hair

Hairstylist Anthony Veader was inspired by elegant 1940s movie icon Veronica Lake's sleek, simple locks. "We went with that look because Bebe was a woman about town, but in a good way," he says. "She was sultry and worldly, and I wanted a sexy, softer look." While Neuwirth's hair was wet, Veader first sprayed a tiny bit of Phytologie Phytodéfrisant to leave her tresses smooth and shiny.

Next, he dried her hair with a big, round brush and set it in spring rollers, because Velcro rollers will often pull out the setting solution in fine hair like Neuwirth's. After Neuwirth had her makeup done, Veader removed the rollers and gave Neuwirth a little extra support with a dab of Kérastase Nutritive Nutri-Liss smoothing treatment. "I want to see movement, so you just add a cream that has some hold to it, so you can always move your hair around," says Veader.

Face

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Makeup artist Evelyne Noraz honed in on Neuwirth's striking eyes and lips. "She's definitely very sexy, but in a classy way," she says. "She's a seductress who always wears makeup, and I wanted her to always use black liner and have color on the lips."

Noraz first prepped Neuwirth's skin with Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, then followed up with the line's moisturizing foundation in Warm Ivory. "Bebe has very beautiful skin," Noraz points out, "and you don't need to put a lot on her." She then dabbed Neuwirth's skin with T. LeClerc loose powder in Banane, and subtly brightened her cheeks with Nars blush in Orgasm.

To maximize her eyes, Noraz used Revlon Timeliner for Eyes in Ebony on Neuwirth's top lids, inside rims and lower lids.

Lips

Noraz painted Neuwirth's pucker either reddish-brown with Nars Gipsy lipstick or fiery fuchsia with Yves Saint Laurent Pure lipstick No. 19 Fuchsia Pink. "Lips and liner should be enough," says Noraz, who cautions against using too much color on your face. "So line your eye tops and bottoms lightly, use a bright lipstick and a very, very light blush."

Clothes

The fur really flew when it came to dressing Neuwirth, as costume designer Suzanne Schwartzer learned. Schwartzer wanted the star to wear lots of furs and leather, for "a predatory but sensual appearance." She explains, "Fakes don't translate as well, so if you're going to do it, do the real thing." The actress, a committed anti-fur activist, initially refused to go the animal route. "But they twisted my arm for a long, hard time," says Neuwirth. "And it is true that this woman wears fur." Using animal skins as her primary fashion influence, Schwartzer clad Neuwirth in a mink fur from Ben Kahn and a snakeskin leather jacket by Danier Leather.

In fact, Schwartzer stuck to warm, rich tones for the entire movie, dressing Neuwirth in maroons, corals, browns and subtle camel hues. But don't let her fancy duds fool you. Most of Neuwirth's clothes were bought at Loehmann's, and one favorite halter top came from Brooks Brothers. Another hot purple one was from the Gap. In fact, says Schwartzer, all of Neuwirth's looks are totally real and attainable. "You can buy all these things less expensively if you shop right," she says. "You just need lots of leather skirts, sexy tank tops, halter tops and gold jewelry. It's stuff everyone has in their closets."