AN EVENING WITH... JULIE LeSHANE

"The Drama" Julie LeShane & Robert Pattinson ©A24

"The Drama" is about to hit theaters, and there's immense anticipation for the image work with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. How was the process of designing for an A24 production, where makeup is expected to be an artistic statement and not just a visual accompaniment?

- Julie: The goal of this film is for every department to work in unison to tell a cohesive story, each serving as a driving force in bringing the narrative to life. Through this collaboration, the audience is able to forget the “star” and instead fully invest in the character’s journey. This is a film where mood dictates every character’s visual identity. The tension between fantasy and reality is expressed through both subtle and heightened makeup techniques. At the beginning, Charlie is portrayed as sweet and endearingly clumsy. As the story progresses, however, his appearance becomes increasingly disheveled, mirroring his emotional unraveling.

When Emma’s secret is revealed, Charlie’s idealized perception of her—and their relationship—begins to collapse. To reflect his growing anxiety, we gradually deepen shadows at the inner corners of his eyes and introduce red liner along the waterline. These stress-driven details intensify alongside his emotional state. His hair similarly becomes more tousled and unkempt, reinforcing his internal chaos.

Following the headbutt at the wedding, we applied subtle swollen prosthetics beneath his eyes along with a broken nose piece. The bruising was intentionally dramatized—not only to reflect physical injury, but also to externalize his psychological turmoil as he struggles to reconcile Emma’s secret and his own self-destructive reaction to it.

Makeup plays a key role in expressing the chaos Charlie experiences. Moments such as the living room dance scene and the diner finale demonstrate how hair, makeup, wardrobe, and cinematography work together to evoke emotion and atmosphere. Heightened, anxiety-driven imagery pushes the story into dreamlike territory. One such dreamscape is achieved through a practical SFX tubing effect on Emma, where blood pours from her ear onto her white dress and across the dinner table as she casually speaks with Charlie. The scene underscores the disconnect—only Charlie reacts with distress—further immersing the audience in his psychological state.

In Don't Look Up, you did an immense job as Key Makeup Artist. For those who are just starting out: how do you manage continuity and department organization when you have icons like Meryl Streep or Leonardo DiCaprio filming simultaneously?

- Julie: Organization is essential on set, and every aspect of a character’s look must be thoroughly documented. Continuity tools such as SyncOnSet are used to catalog each look, organized by scene, script day, flashback, and other key story elements. Photos are taken not only of the finished look but also of all products used.

Detailed notes are kept on every step of the process, including skin prep, beauty application, character adjustments, body makeup, and nails. These records must be precise enough that any artist can open an actor’s bag and accurately recreate the look.

For principal cast members, all products used are maintained in their individual actor bags and turned over to production at the end of the shoot. Given that productions can span months and often involve large ensemble casts, complex timelines, and multiple flashbacks, maintaining continuity becomes increasingly critical.

To support this, comprehensive photo documentation is captured for recurring characters, including front and side profiles, hands, body, and any visible tattoos. These images should be taken both in trailer lighting and on set in full wardrobe, as looks often evolve within the same script day. Coordinating closely with wardrobe is equally important, as changes in costume directly impact continuity and help track the progression of each character’s appearance.

The role of the Key is often underestimated, but it is the driving force that allows the Department Head's vision to be fulfilled. What organizational skills did you learn on those projects that you now apply when you are the one designing and leading the overall aesthetic?

- Julie: The Key Makeup Artist serves as the backbone of the Makeup Department Head. While the Department Head is responsible for the overall design, delegation, and communication with production, the Key plays a critical role in maintaining continuity.

Although the Department Head remains aware of continuity and contributes to note-taking, much of the detailed tracking falls to the Key. This includes managing ongoing script revisions, organizing continuity records, and ensuring all changes are accurately documented. This responsibility alone is essentially a full-time job, on top of the Key’s own hands-on makeup duties.

Continuity requires extensive administrative work—historically done on paper, and now largely managed digitally—and demands constant attention. Tracking, organizing, and updating notes across scenes, timelines, and character arcs is both time-consuming and essential to the integrity of the story.

In addition to continuity management, the Key also assists in hiring additional makeup crew members and helps onboard them, ensuring all necessary paperwork and departmental systems are in place. Their role is vital in maintaining both the creative consistency and the operational efficiency of the makeup department.

Your name is linked to special effects (SFX) and prosthetics in visually impactful films. How does knowing how to fabricate and apply prosthetic elements give you a competitive advantage when you sit down to design a beauty or period makeup look?

- Julie: Special effects knowledge and techniques play a vital role in creating realistic and compelling character makeup. Skills such as sculpting, a strong understanding of anatomy, prosthetic application, edge blending, and accurately matching skin tone and texture all enhance an artist’s beauty work while strengthening problem-solving abilities.

This foundation also deepens an artist’s understanding of the chemical properties of makeup products, allowing for more effective layering and compatibility between special effects and beauty applications. The ability to seamlessly combine these products expands creative possibilities and ensures durability on set.

A thorough knowledge of anatomy is essential, not only for realism but also for transformation. Understanding underlying bone structure and musculature allows artists to subtly alter or enhance features. Equally important is a strong command of color theory across all skin tones, ensuring that prosthetics read as natural skin rather than appearing flat or artificial.

Lighting plays a critical role in how makeup is perceived on camera. An artist must understand how different lighting setups, shadows, and environments affect color, depth, and texture. What appears balanced in person or in still photography may translate very differently on screen.

A background in special effects also strengthens skills in contouring and character transformation within beauty and period makeup. Knowledge of color relationships, shading, and tonal variation brings depth and authenticity to these looks. Ultimately, an awareness of all aspects of production—including lighting, camera, and setting—allows makeup to fully support and elevate the storytelling.

"Boston Strangler" by Matt Ruskin / Sarah Howard Parker & Keira Knightley ©Hulu

In Boston Strangler, the challenge was to capture the essence of the 1960s with absolute realism. How do you apply your technical expertise to ensure historical accuracy is maintained amidst the chaos and rush of a modern film set?

- Julie: On Boston Strangler, a detailed continuity grid was created in which every scene was broken down by year, script day, scene description, makeup notes, and the corresponding real-life character. This system allowed the team to track progression with precision and maintain consistency across a complex, time-shifting narrative.

Research played a critical role in achieving authenticity. Studying beauty and grooming trends of each specific time period ensured that every look accurately reflected the era. Makeup boards were developed using real newspaper clippings and archival references to help capture the essence of each character and ground them in reality.

Location was equally important in shaping these designs. Period details are not universal—how law enforcement appeared in 1960s Boston, for example, differed from their counterparts in New York. These regional distinctions influenced everything from grooming standards to overall presentation.

Every element—publications, scenes, locations, characters, and the exact year and script day—was carefully researched and documented. This level of detail was essential in creating a believable and immersive representation of the time period.

You've navigated series like Castle Rock or The Walking Dead: Dead City. What's the difference in technical makeup management when you have to maintain a character's continuity throughout an entire season versus the closed structure of a feature film?

- Julie: Makeup continuity in television differs significantly from feature film. Television, depending on the series, is often far more fast-paced. Episodes are frequently shot out of order, and multiple directors may work across different episodes—each bringing their own perspective on character looks that must still remain consistent throughout the series.

This requires constant adaptability and the ability to problem-solve quickly amid many moving parts. In this environment, continuity becomes even more critical, and having a strong, well-coordinated team is essential.

For example, on Castle Rock Season 2, one of the main actors had a scene involving extensive blood coverage, during which she touched and embraced another character. However, the “post-injury” look had already been established and filmed across multiple episodes. During filming, the blood application had to be carefully designed to transfer in a way that would match the previously established continuity.

Situations like this can occur multiple times a day, often involving several characters, with scenes from different episodes being shot simultaneously or on separate sets. While this can happen in feature films, it is far more common in television production.

Ultimately, strong organization, detailed documentation, and a cohesive team are essential to successfully maintaining continuity and supporting the storytelling process.

Conversing with Julie LeShane reminds us that excellence in cinema is not achieved by a single talent, but by the sum of many disciplines and a deep respect for the technical process.

Her career path is the perfect map for any makeup artist aspiring to true mastery: understanding the logistics of the Key, mastering the craft of FX, and leading with artistic sensitivity.

Julie teaches us that, whether applying a complex prosthesis or designing the subtle beauty of an A24 star, our mission is always the same: to serve the story with visual integrity.

Thank you, Julie, for your honesty and for reminding us that every position in the department holds sacred value in the creation of a film. Your vision and technique are a beacon for all of us who, brush in hand, head out to shoot every morning in 2026, seeking the truth that you manage to capture on every face. 

We invite you to continue exploring Julie's impeccable work on her projects through her social media channels instagram and Imdb.

See you on the next set, Makeup Artist.