or more than 25 years, Canadian stylist Judi Cooper-Sealy has designed new looks for stars of the silver screen and television. Most recently, she worked her magic as key hair designer on this year's best picture Oscar-winner, Chicago, helping to create some of the signature styles which left an indelible impression in the minds of moviegoers.   "Movies influence the looks and fashion of the day," Cooper-Sealy says from her Toronto home. "After Chicago, magazines featured the shorter hair and finger waves, and people brought pictures

of the styles to their hairdresser."   Born just outside Halifax, Cooper-Sealy got her early experience there, operating two salons and two wig shops. Her big break came while working on a television show hosted by Peter Gzowski. She spritzed up his guest, John Candy, who was so impressed, he recommended her as hair specialist for his new show, SCTV. She moved to Toronto and found herself working on the cast's wild wigs and wacky hairstyles. "You never knew what they would throw at you," Cooper-Sealy comments.   There she met Martin Short and established a professional association with the comic actor which has lasted to this day. "I'm getting ready to go to L.A. to shoot a commerical with him," she says. In the past, she did Short's wigs (and sometimes his own hair), on Primetime Glick, The Martin Short Show and his movies A Simple Wish and Father of the Bride 2 (where she was responsible for maintaining the distinctive look for his hilarious Franck the wedding planner character). "Once on SCTV," Cooper-Sealy says, "the white wig for his Jackie Rogers Jr. sketch went missing on Halloween. I freaked. I could only find one that was really long and I had to cut and style it and it was never the same as the original."   She also counts SCTV alumnae Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara among her friends. Cooper-Sealy was stylist on Best in Show (2000) and did wigs for their folk duo characters, Mitch and Mickey on this year's A Mighty Wind. "I did grey, wiry hair and a facial piece for Eugene," she recalls, "and long, dark hair with grey streaks emulating Sylvia Tyson, for Catherine."   One of Cooper-Sealy's biggest challenges was creating a wig for Jennifer Tilly in Bride of Chucky (1998). It was for a scene where Chucky pushes a radio into the bathtub, electrocuting her. Since much of it was done under water, the wig had to stay in place. "I braided her own hair," Cooper-Sealy explains, "then sewed the wig to her braids and glued the whole thing with surgical glue." She was promised the scene would be done only once, "but of course, they lied," she laughs.   The wig for Queen Latifah (Chicago) proved difficult. "The costume designer wanted her hair tied back, plain and severe looking," says Cooper-Sealy, "but I wanted to use a tight, finger-wave wig." (Eventually, Cooper-Sealy won out).   Director Rob Marshall had a clear vision for the appearance of his cast in Chicago. "He asked for the raunchy, rough nightclub look," Cooper-Sealy comments, "which I gave him, while maintaining the look of the period, which was more of a Louise Brooks/vampy style."   The success of Chicago has led to some intriguing opportunities. Next for Cooper-Sealy is styling hair for the musical performers from A Mighty Wind. They're doing a concert tour of major American cities, so, "I'm going on the road," she laughs. - Elaine Loring