Michael Westmore
Michael Westmore is a third-generation member of a royal family of Hollywood makeup artists and hairstylists whose history dates back over 120 years. His grandfather, George, who was Winston Churchill’s barber, opened his first Hollywood salon in 1917. Michael’s father, Monty Sr., was the personal makeup artist to Rudolph Valentino and the makeup supervisor on Gone with the Wind (1939). He and Michael’s five famous uncles headed departments at most every major Hollywood studio.
Michael learned his craft under the tutelage of his family as well as his mentor, John “Argo” Chambers. During his 50+ years in the motion picture industry, he has been associated with such stars as Sylvester Stallone, Farrah Fawcett, Robert De Niro, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, the casts of Star Trek, and with series like Land of the Lost and The Munsters. 18 years of Michael’s career were spent with Gene Roddenberry, creating all the creatures and aliens that inhabit the Star Trek universe.
Michael has bene recognized with over 100 national and international awards, including an Academy Award for the movie Mask (1985) and three additional nominations for 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984), The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986), and Star Trek: First Contact (1996). Over his career, he has been honored with nine Emmys and 42 Emmy nominations. In 2008 Michael and his family were recognized for their contributions to the industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Presently he is appearing as the mentor alongside his daughter, host McKenzie Westmore, on the Syfy television makeup challenge, Face Off.
His 2017 autobiography, Makeup Man, contains Michael’s memoirs, chronicling his years of amazing creations from Rocky (1976) to Star Trek.
When not at the studio, his other moments are filled with writing, lecturing, mentoring, and teaching the art of makeup, as well as with his family. Michael credits all his success and support to his wife, Marion, and talent children, Michael Jr., Michele, and McKenzie, and grandson Maddox.