Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch makeup contained copper‑based ingredients that were toxic if ingested. She had to drink through a straw and avoid touching her face during breaks. After a pyrotechnic stunt went wrong, the makeup ignited, causing burns on her hands and face. She refused to film further fire‑related scenes afterward.
Loved this fact? Discover more Wizard of Oz lore in my new book – The Emerald Signal of Oz, available on Amazon!
Source: Reader’s Digest