About
"I have collected books from everything on Earth. I have birds. I have insects. I have reptiles. I have amphibians. I have mammals. So almost every thing you see on "Star Trek" has some connection to Earth…You will find something that's familiar in there, whether it be a chunk off a rhinoceros, a bat, or some skin-texture."
In his two-hour interview, Michael Westmore discusses his family's background as makeup artists (grandfather George applied makeup for Mary Pickford and father Monte was the makeup artist for Gone With the Wind), and shares that he did not initially want to go into the family business. He talks about accepting an internship at Universal Studios with his uncle, Bud Westmore, and assisting with makeup on The Munsters. He describes his experiences with movie makeup on Rocky and Raging Bull and recounts his Academy Award-winning makeup for Mask, starring Eric Stoltz. Westmore then details his intricate makeup for the many Star Trek television series and movies on which he's worked: Star Trek: The Next Generation; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Star Trek: Voyager; and Star Trek: Enterprise. He explains how he creates looks for new aliens on a weekly basis, talks about the most difficult makeup application he's ever executed, and outlines advances in prosthetics and techniques. Melody Chen conducted the interview in a joint venture with UCLA for the Living Television Collection on March 13, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Michael Westmore on his inspiration for the makeup for the Cardassian race on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on "Chakotay"'s tattoo on Star Trek: Voyager
Michael Westmore on assisting with makeup on The Munsters
Michael Westmore on how prosthetics have changed over the years
Michael Westmore on CGI's impact on the makeup industry
Michael Westmore on advice to aspiring makeup artists
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early interests; on television shows he enjoyed as a child; on his family's experience in make-up; on his apprenticeship at Universal Studios; on assisting with makeup on The Munsters
On leaving Universal Studios; on working with Sid and Marty Krofft; on makeup for Rocky; on working on Dan Curtis productions; on collaborating with his brother, Marvin; on winning an Emmy for the television movie of Frankenstein; on makeup for the miniseries Eleanor and Franklin; on working with fellow makeup artist Del Armstrong
On the television movie The Amazing Howard Hughes; on research for historical projects; on makeup for Raging Bull; on makeup for The Day After
Chapter 2
On makeup for the nuclear fallout portrayed in The Day After contd.; on makeup for the television movie, Why Me?; on makeup for the feature film Mask; on winning the Academy Award for Mask; on working with Elizabeth Taylor on Malice in Wonderland
On makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Chapter 3
On makeup and his makeup staff for Star Trek: The Next Generation; on creating aliens for Star Trek: The Next Generation; on how much time he has to create character looks for each episode; on working closely with costume designers and hair design
On the Cardassian race on Star Trek: The Next Generation; on using prosthetics; on makeup for the Borg characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation; on fitting actors with prosthetics; on the makeup that took the longest to apply on Star Trek: The Next Generation -- LeVar Burton's when he played a lizard
On his favorite makeup creations
Chapter 4
On working with Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Rick Berman, and Robert Justman; on the impact of Star Trek: The Next Generation; on working on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at the same time; on Star Trek movies; on "Chakotay's" tattoo on Star Trek: Voyager
On the character "Seven of Nine" on Star Trek: Voyager; on makeup for Star Trek: Enterprise; on budgets and creating prosthetics; on the impact of CGI on the makeup industry; on his style as a makeup artist; on current projects; on advice to aspiring makeup artists; on career highlights and how he'd like to be remembered
On how he met his wife; B-roll pictures from productions on which he's worked
Shows
Day After, The
Michael Westmore on makeup for The Day After
Michael Westmore on makeup for the nuclear fallout portrayed in The Day After
Eleanor and Franklin
Michael Westmore on makeup for the miniseries Eleanor and Franklin
Malice in Wonderland
Michael Westmore on working with Elizabeth Taylor on the television movie Malice in Wonderland
Munsters, The
Michael Westmore on assisting with makeup on The Munsters
Michael Westmore on the premise of The Munsters
Michael Westmore on a picture of makeup for The Munsters
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Michael Westmore on transitioning from working on Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup research for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on the cast and impact of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Voyager
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: Voyager and on "Chakotay's" tattoo
Why Me?
Michael Westmore on makeup for the television movie, Why Me?
Topics
Advice
Michael Westmore on advice to aspiring makeup artists
Emmy Awards
Michael Westmore on winning an Emmy for makeup for the television movie about Frankenstein
Michael Westmore on his surprise at winning an Emmy for makeup for the television movie, Why Me?
Technological Innovation
Michael Westmore on how prosthetics have changed over the years
Michael Westmore on CGI's impact on the makeup industry
Television Industry
Michael Westmore on advice to aspiring makeup artists
Professions
Makeup Artist
Michael Westmore on his makeup apprenticeship at Universal Studios
Michael Westmore on how prosthetics have changed over the years
Michael Westmore on fitting actors with prosthetics and difficulties if actors are claustrophobic
Michael Westmore on his style as a makeup artist
Michael Westmore on advice to aspiring makeup artists
Stylists
Michael Westmore on his makeup apprenticeship at Universal Studios
Michael Westmore on how prosthetics have changed over the years
Michael Westmore on fitting actors with prosthetics and difficulties if actors are claustrophobic
Michael Westmore on advice to aspiring makeup artists
Michael Westmore on his style as a makeup artist
Genres
Comedy Series
Michael Westmore on assisting with makeup on The Munsters
Michael Westmore on the premise of The Munsters
Michael Westmore on makeup for The Day After
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Michael Westmore on makeup research for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Michael Westmore on makeup for the miniseries Eleanor and Franklin
Michael Westmore on makeup for the nuclear fallout portrayed in The Day After
Michael Westmore on makeup for the television movie, Why Me?
Michael Westmore on working with Elizabeth Taylor on the television movie Malice in Wonderland
People
Rick Berman
Michael Westmore on working with Rick Berman
Robert Blackman
Michael Westmore on working closely with costume designers on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Peter Bogdanovich
Michael Westmore on getting hired to do makeup for the feature film Mask
LeVar Burton
Michael Westmore on the makeup that took the longest to apply on Star Trek: The Next Generation -- LeVar Burton's when he played a lizard
John Chambers
Michael Westmore on what he learned from mentor John Chambers
Cher
Michael Westmore on getting hired to do makeup for the feature film Mask
Dan Curtis
Michael Westmore on working on Dan Curtis productions
Jonathan Frakes
Michael Westmore on working with Jonathan Frakes
Tommy Lee Jones
Michael Westmore on working with Tommy Lee Jones on The Amazing Howard Hughes
Robert Justman
Michael Westmore on working with Robert Justman
Werner Klemperer
Michael Westmore on working with Werner Klemperer on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Marty Krofft
Michael Westmore on meeting Marty Krofft and getting involved with his projects
Nicholas Meyer
Michael Westmore on director Nick Meyer's vision for the makeup on The Day After
Robert De Niro
Michael Westmore on makeup for Raging Bull
Michael Westmore on a picture of Robert De Niro in Raging Bull
Gene Roddenberry
Michael Westmore on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Westmore on Gene Roddenberry's thoughts on makeup for Star Trek: The Next Generation
Martin Scorsese
Michael Westmore on makeup for Raging Bull
Dick Smith
Michael Westmore on working on Dan Curtis productions, with Dick Smith vouching for him
Michael Westmore on how prosthetics have changed over the years and Dick Smith's invention of PAX paint
Brent Spiner
Michael Westmore on Gene Roddenberry's thoughts on makeup for "Data" on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Westmore on makeup for Rocky and working with Sylvester Stallone for the next eight years
Michael Westmore on a picture of Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III
Patrick Stewart
Michael Westmore on working with Patrick Stewart
Eric Stoltz
Michael Westmore on getting hired to do makeup for the feature film Mask
Michael Westmore on a picture of Eric Stoltz in Mask
Elizabeth Taylor
Michael Westmore on working with Elizabeth Taylor on the television movie Malice in Wonderland