Makeup artist Jo Baker has taken social media by storm with her hilarious and unexpected mood boards for Kristen Wiig, comparing the actress to everything from roasted chicken to vintage muscle cars, revealing a creative process where humor and trust collide to create unforgettable red carpet moments.
When Kristen Wiig stepped onto the red carpet at the 2026 Actor Awards, all eyes were on her stunning black silk gown—and her seemingly effortless, sun-kissed glam. But the true mastermind behind the look, makeup artist Jo Baker, was about to become an internet sensation for reasons no one saw coming. Baker’s secret? A viral mood board that literally compared the comedy icon to a “hot roasted honey glazed chicken.”
Baker, who has long been Wiig’s go-to artist, began sharing these whimsical mood boards on her Instagram, collage-style images that pair Wiig’s face with random objects like burnt rubber, apple cobbler, and classic cars. For the Actor Awards, she paired Wiig with two golden-brown roasted birds, captioning it “sun-kissed radiance… inspired by hot roasted honey glazed chicken.”
“The chicken just came to mind because it literally feels, visually, the way I was thinking of those color tones and that palette,” Baker explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Her approach blends everyday objects with beauty, finding inspiration in sunsets, ice cream, and even condoms for their “perfect sheer pale pink tone.”
The mood boards quickly exploded online, with one tweet highlighting Baker’s work gaining over 3.6 million views. The humor and relatability struck a chord, but ironically, Wiig herself was completely unaware. “She has no idea, she’s not on social media,” Baker told EW. “We have such a good relationship, she trusts me implicitly.” This trust allows Baker to lean into “quirky humor” without reservation, a dynamic that fans adore.
Baker’s inspirations extend far beyond poultry. At the 2026 Academy Awards on March 15, Wiig’s “dewy fresh sun-kissed skin” look was referenced through two contrasting 1970s cars: a pristine metallic gold Plymouth Barracuda and a junkyard Lincoln Continental. Baker illustrated this with another mood board, showcasing her ability to draw beauty from the most unlikely sources.
For a Los Angeles screening of Wiig’s series Palm Royale, Baker opted for a sweeter theme: “charred chocolate + sugary glazed inspired glam,” based on delectable donuts including a black charcoal variety filled with chocolate custard. This versatility underscores Baker’s philosophy: beauty is everywhere if you look creatively.
Wiig isn’t Baker’s only client to receive the mood board treatment. For the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Olivia Wilde was given a “dirty snow sludge” look—smudged black eyeliner and greased lids—inspired by wintry grime. Baker shared the mood board on Instagram, further proving her formula works across celebrities.
Vanessa Kirby’s mood board for the Fantastic Four Sydney premiere included dehydrated “space food” eaten by Apollo astronauts, evoking “retro monochromatic mauvey tan tones.” Even Charlotte Gainsbourg was styled with a “charred noir” vibe inspired by burnt-out electrical sockets. “My new clients always say, ‘I can’t wait to be collaged by Jo Baker,’ which is such an honor,” Baker said.
This viral fame has also fueled Baker’s entrepreneurial spirit. She founded Bakeup Beauty to translate her collage art into products, with her proudest creation being Tarantulash mascara, described as “a bold, no-nonsense gritty London girl lash.” “The greater the reach that I can share my creativity and art with is the ultimate joy,” Baker reflects. “I want people to look at beauty differently.”
So why does this matter beyond the laughs? Baker’s work epitomizes a shift in beauty culture toward authenticity and playfulness. In an industry often criticized for being overly serious, her mood boards remind us that inspiration can be found in the mundane—and that the strongest artist-client relationships are built on implicit trust. Wiig’s lack of social media presence only amplifies this; it’s a pure creative collaboration, untainted by online noise or trends.
For fans, the viral reaction underscores a collective hunger for behind-the-scenes whimsy. The tweet mocking the roasted chicken comparison resonated because it’s both absurd and oddly perfect—a testament to Baker’s ability to see beauty in the bizarre. This isn’t just about makeup; it’s about redefining glamour as something inclusive, humorous, and deeply personal.
As Baker herself jokes, if she ever runs out of ideas for Wiig, there’s always “Colonial woman on the wing churning butter.” But given her track record, we’d expect that to become the next beauty trend too.
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