Barb Thompson Gives Abby Elliott Effortless Volume and Movement for the ’26 Emmys

Photo by Claire Leahy

“The Bear” star Abby Elliot changed it up on all of us at the 2026 Emmys. Her hair was newly “toasty copper,” thanks to Laurie Heaps, and quite a bit longer with some artfully undone shape and “oh this?!” body thanks to the expert skill of Barb Thompson.

Thompson brought her signature can’t be bothered, Californian aesthetic, telling us “I wanted the hair to feel effortless with beautiful volume and movement.” Keep reading for the techniques she used, including the surprise hack for clip-in extensions and the exact Bumble and bumble. products she put to work.

Get the Look:

1. “I started with Bumble and bumble Thickening Spray through the damp hair to build body and fullness before creating a smooth blowout.
2. Abby naturally has very thick hair, so to extend her length without adding unnecessary bulk, I braided her own hair away at the nape. This technique creates a flatter foundation for the clip in extensions, allowing me to add length without needing as many pieces and keeping the overall look from becoming too thick.
   • Editor’s Note: Thompson opted for The Hair Shop
3. I began creating the shape with a 1.25 inch iron, working through the hair to build soft movement and texture. As I reached the crown, I switched to a 1.5 inch iron to detail the shape and create a softer finish through the top.
4. I also set the back of the crown with a roller to give the area extra lift and support.
5. Once the hair was set, I worked Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder into the crown. I rubbed the hair between my fingers to create a little wanted frizz and fuzziness through the texture. I wanted the finish to have that slightly undone quality while still feeling intentional and elevated.
6. I finished with Brilliantine through the ends to add softness and shiny separation and used Spray de Mode Hair Spray to set the look while keeping the hair touchable and moving naturally.”

If you attempt to recreate Abby Elliot’s deceivingly difficult Emmys hairstyle with these steps, we want to know about it, obviously. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.