AN EVENING WITH... MATTEO SILVI

"The Last Duel" by Ridley Scott / Matt Damon

Matteo, you represent the fourth generation of a family of makeup artists. For a young person starting out, what would you say is the "invisible skill" (beyond the brushes) that has allowed you to stay at the top of an industry as competitive as that of the major studios?

- Matteo: Humility is what I would call the secret skill. The industry is full of talented people, and staying humble is definitely the secret to a long and successful career. It's about always being respectful to the person working next to you.

I'll never forget how lucky I was to work as an apprentice on " Gangs of New York ," my first job. Being in the extras room surrounded by so many talented artists, old-school Italian makeup artists (probably the last generation). "You steal with your eyes," they always told me.

Your father, the great Maurizio Silvi, initially didn't want you to be a makeup artist. Now that you're a leading figure in the field, what aspects of his "classic" methodology do you still apply on sets as technologically advanced and modern as those of Marvel or Apple TV?

Matteo: I suppose my father was simply afraid I was taking the easy way out. I didn't work with him until a couple of years after I started. I learned so much from him. I try to emulate his natural ability to make each character seem real. He had a genuine appreciation for beauty, which he inherited from his mentors like Franco Corridoni , the greatest; he used to do the makeup for all the most beautiful actresses of that time, Giuliano Laurenti (my father's uncle), and Manlio Rocchetti . I never actually met Giuliano; sadly, he died quite young in Colombia while filming. I was lucky enough to work with Franco and Manlio. I loved the passion, lightness, and simplicity they brought to this work. Incredible artists!

You're Chris Hemsworth's personal makeup artist on radically different projects: from the glitz of " Thor" to the grit of " Extraction" or the chaos of " Furiosa." What's the process like collaborating with the actor to decide where the film's aesthetic ends and where his character's specific identity begins?

- Matteo: I started working with Chris on Avengers: Infinity War in 2017. Chris loves to discuss his characters and is always very creative, contributing different ideas. Having such a close friendship makes the process much smoother because we're in constant contact.

It all begins with several meetings with the director, research, and mood boards to find the essence of the film. It ends with our collaboration, experimenting through different tests until we find the right look for the character.

In " Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," Dementus's makeup is a statement of intent. How did you work on the evolution of his skin's deterioration, sweat, and textures so that the makeup conveyed the passage of time and the character's mental decline without a word being spoken?

- Matteo: Furiosa was, without a doubt, the most extreme style we ever did with Chris. Luca Vannella and I had several meetings with director George Miller ; I remember him describing the character of Dementus as a tiger: charismatic, beautiful, but unpredictably terrifying. "Like a Messiah," he said.

We had two- to two-and-a-half-hour hair and makeup sessions every morning. He wore three different beards and wigs. The beard was made of yak hair placed directly on his face. I don't like using tulle (lace) pieces, and Chris hates it too. Placing the hair directly on the face gives the actor the freedom to move his face properly. For his aged look, I used Blue Bird® Old Age. His skin was supposed to look wrinkled and sunburnt; he didn't really need volume, but rather to look thinner as he aged.

Sadly, my father became very, very ill a couple of months before the film and died a week before shooting began. My friend and colleague Luca Mazzoccoli initially took my place. He only had the chance to try one look before filming; the other two went straight to the camera. I arrived in Sydney two weeks after filming had started, and Luca Mazzoccoli and I continued doing Dementus's makeup together for most of the shoot.

"Extraction" by Sam Hargrave / Chris Hemsworth ©Netflix

In " Thor: Love and Thunder," you had to oversee a world full of color and creatures. What's your system for communicating your design vision to a team of dozens of makeup artists and ensuring that the look is consistent in every shot, from the protagonist to the last extra?

- Matteo: " Thor: Love and Thunder was a really fun journey. We had a long prep period, about two months. It was my first job as a designer in Australia; I didn't know anyone on my team, and to be honest, I was pretty nervous about it all because of the scale of the film. I was lucky enough to find a fantastic core team that I trust completely and who still work with me on every project in Australia, including the prosthetics team I'd previously worked with on Extraction. Odd Studio in Sydney—they're amazing!

We did a lot of research in the fashion world, looking for inspiration for many of those godlike characters. Communication is everything when the team is this big, but as I said before, I was very lucky with the team I found, including the extras room.

In The Last Duel , you worked under Ridley Scott, known for shooting with multiple cameras simultaneously. How do you adapt your retouching and continuity techniques when you don't know exactly which camera angle will capture the detail of your work at any given moment?

- Matteo: I've worked on four Ridley Scott films : "Kingdom of Heaven," "Exodus," "All the Money in the World," and "The Last Duel." "The Last Duel" was my first time as head of department. I knew exactly how fast Ridley shoots and that he doesn't like to waste time waiting. You have to be invisible on set and incredibly fast.

Ridley surrounds himself with incredible artists. His entire team knows him very well, and they are all incredibly talented, from costume designer Janty Yates to cinematographer Dariusz Wolski , prosthetic designer Connor O'Sullivan , and many others. True legends!

"Thor: Love and Thunder" by Taika Waititi ©MarvelStudios

The Extraction saga is famous for its long takes and visceral action. What materials and sealing techniques do you use to ensure that the prosthetic wounds and sweat survive extreme combat scenes, water, and dust without the need for constant cutting and retouching?

- Matteo: The first "Extraction" was filmed in a completely different environment than the second. We shot "Extraction" 1 between India and Thailand. We had to deal with extreme heat and humidity. These are probably the worst enemies of makeup and prosthetics; plus, the film is a constant fight scene, so sweating was quite a challenge.

We use Pros-Aide® and silicone for wounds and scars. I like to use Blue Marble® and Liquiskin® for sealing. We also use David Stoneman's alcohol sealant. We always carry spares of everything in the kit for refills.

Extraction 2 was filmed in Prague during the winter—it was freezing! In this case, our only real enemy was the fight sequences. Scars and wounds practically froze on our faces :).

You've worked in extreme climates, from the cold of Everest to the heat of the desert. What technical advice would you give a novice makeup artist on preparing an actor's skin before applying any product in harsh environmental conditions?

- Matteo: Extreme conditions are always difficult, obviously. I suggest using blue astringent or witch hazel to cleanse the skin before applying any prosthesis.

Finding the best sunscreen when you need it is very important. New ones are always coming out. Find the healthiest one that also won't affect your makeup too much. Be careful when choosing sunscreen; always check the ingredients. Most of them are toxic!

Matteo Silvi reminded us today that success in film is a combination of respect for the past and an insatiable curiosity for the future. His generosity in sharing the inner workings of the biggest productions on the planet is a gift to any artist who aspires to make their mark on screen. Thank you, Matteo, for honoring your roots while continuing to shape the future of international makeup.

We invite you to continue exploring Matteo's impeccable work on his projects through his social media channels, especially Instagram. and IMDb .

See you at the next Makeup Artist shoot.