AN EVENING WITH... ARIELLE TOELKE

Arielle, you led the makeup department for "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" for nearly 50 episodes. The series has a very vibrant color palette. How did you design Kimmy's look to reflect her unwavering optimism without losing the realism of her new life in New York?

- Arielle: Wow, we're talking about almost a decade ago! The whole look of that show was bright and colorful. Kimmy escapes a cult and has a new lease on life with an almost childlike wonder. I wanted to keep that wonder and sparkle alive in her makeup. To achieve this, I used bright pink tones on her cheeks.

As the seasons went on, we kept the pink but added a little structured contour and a bit more eye makeup to evolve her look. By not overdoing anything too much, we managed to make everything look very real.

In comedy, makeup sometimes has to be part of the joke or satire. How was it working under Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's vision to ensure the look supported the show's comedic rhythm?

- Arielle: Tina and Robert definitely wrote a lot of comedy that came to fruition through makeup. From Titus as a "Franken-wolf" at his restaurant job, to our nod to Beyoncé with his "Lemonade" parody, made with lip gloss. Or the cult Gretchen starts based on contouring makeup. And we can't forget the "Broadway musicals" we created on the show.

I remember designing 18 different makeup looks for "Cats" and "The Lion King" looks that had to be legally different from the Broadway shows but still convey the joke. Having such amazing scripts where so much depended on the makeup design was a challenge. Knowing the writers trusted us to bring what was on paper to life made it so much fun.

In "Godfather of Harlem", the challenge is to transport the viewer to the 1960s. What was your research process to capture the elegance and harshness of that period, and how did you visually differentiate social classes and gangs within the series?

- Arielle: I loved the work we did on "Godfather of Harlem." Many of the characters were based on real people. There's a lot of great reference material, including photos and press stories. I love looking at old advertisements, especially for beauty products of the era, to create accurate makeup.

The challenge with period pieces is not to make it look like a satire of that time. For example, in a series set in the 60s, the younger, wealthier generation might be stylish and follow the trends of that year, but an older generation might still be wearing trends from the 50s or even 40s. Creating a real world means accurately representing that with characters from all walks of life.

You've worked on very diverse period projects. How do you make the makeup feel authentic to the 60s without looking like a costume, especially under the scrutiny of today's high-definition cameras?

- Arielle: Less is more. For me, the most important thing is the skin, unless the script specifically calls for a heavy foundation look. Finding products that work for the actor and don't look heavy or too contemporary under camera lights is a constantly evolving process.

For a series set in the sixties, we worked with limited color palettes for eyes and lips. Eyebrows are a good way to reflect the period; generally following eyebrow shape trends can bring a world to life.

"Only Murders in the Building" by John Hoffmann & Steve Martin ©Hulu

Your credits show a solid background in special effects and prosthetics on projects like "The Blacklist" and "Sinister". How does that deep understanding of anatomy and materials help you today when designing "clean" beauty or character makeup?

- Arielle: Having an art background in painting and sculpture has definitely helped me understand color and the body. I design most of the tattoos for my projects myself when needed. Knowing how something flat will read on a 3D surface is an example of blending anatomy and design.

I used to fabricate small FX prosthetics and props. Having that language and skill has been very helpful in communicating project needs to my fabricator, and also in knowing how that effect will translate on screen for the director. Knowing what is possible or not is a huge help when creating characters.

Sinister is a cult horror classic. How do you use makeup to build that constant sense of unease without always resorting to the obvious?

- Arielle: For Sinister, we kept the makeup very real. Nothing exaggerated, focusing only on good skin. This way, the camera, lighting, and sound design could step in and make the film truly terrifying.

"Godfather of Harlem" by Chris Brancato & Paul Eckstein / Nigel Thatch ©MGM+

You've headed departments on high-profile series like "Only Murders in the Building", "Instinct", and "Master of None". What is your method for ensuring design consistency when working with so many different directors and units throughout a season?

- Arielle: When designing for a television series, it's important to find what I call "base looks" for each character. We often shoot multiple episodes at once and always out of order. By having a base look for each character, we stay organized and there's more flexibility in the editing room. From that base look, we can build when the script requires it. For example, maybe there's a party scene, or someone had an accident, or we need a specific lipstick color for a joke. You start with the base look and add or subtract. I never want the audience to pay too much attention to the makeup; even if the story is outlandish, the makeup should feel appropriate and work within the plot.

In a murder mystery series with so many flashbacks and visual clues like "Only Murders in the Building", how do you organize your team to ensure perfect continuity that doesn't spoil the plot twists?

-Arielle: We all know the end of the story before we start and we are all sworn to secrecy, haha. In "Only Murders..." the writing is so good, and the acting too, that both the script and the actors would never give away the plot.

In this series where every detail counts, how do you use makeup to give subtle clues about a character's emotional state or even guilt without the viewer consciously noticing?

- Arielle: The subtlety of makeup is only enhanced by an actor giving a really good performance. We help support the actor through makeup. For example, it could be adding a little redness around the nose to show someone is sad or upset, even with a full makeup look. Or changing the shape of an eyebrow or how the end of an eyeliner flicks.

How do you coordinate with wardrobe and hair to ensure that makeup complements the overall image of the character?

- Arielle: We individually do our own homework on the character, then we have many email exchanges and meetings. I find that knowing what the character is wearing is very helpful when considering the makeup direction. The actors themselves also often give input on how they think their character should look. It's truly a collaboration.

In recent productions like "Motor City" or "The Friend", you've worked in additional units. What do you value most about returning to team collaboration after having been a department head on so many successful projects?

- Arielle: I love helping my friends on their projects. One of the best parts of this job is that we get to be with our friends. Even as a department head, I could never do the job alone. I love the collaborative nature of filmmaking. I understand the importance of each person's role on the team, even the makeup artists who come for just one day to help with a big background scene. I love being able to be that person myself sometimes too.

Listening to Arielle Toelke is like taking a tour through the recent history of television. Her ability to bring such memorable and diverse characters to life is an inspiration for any artist seeking excellence on set.

Thank you, Arielle, for teaching us that makeup is the bridge between the script and the screen, and for continuing to elevate the visual standard of our favorite series. We look forward to seeing what new universes you create in 2026.

We invite you to continue exploring Arielle's impeccable work on her projects through her social media Instagram and IMDb.

See you at the next shoot, Makeup Artist.