How did you come to work on One Battle After Another?
I had previously worked with producer Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Anderson for Licorice Pizza, and with Leo DiCaprio on Django Unchained, and Sara thought I would be the perfect fit. I read the script and was literally speechless at how good it was!
Having previously collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson, how has your creative shorthand evolved?
When Paul is ready to shoot a movie, he doesn’t want to wait for makeup, hair, or anyone! I know when he can forgo makeup and hair, he will. Ideally, he would like actors to come to work with hair and makeup done and never need to be touched up. We know that is not always practical, and I need to design makeup in a way that takes the least amount of time, and the actor can keep up with when needed. Good skin is key for the style he likes, so I focus a lot on that. I also brought on Mandy Artusado, who had worked with me on Licorice Pizza, so she knew the drill of a PTA set.
How did you maintain that natural look across such varied and extreme shooting conditions?
We were shooting in all weather conditions — from cold, rainy Northern California to the Mexico border, and then 110°F heat in El Paso. With minimal, often no makeup, and every detail visible on camera, we couldn’t hide blemishes or dryness. So we relied heavily on facials and a lot of skincare. I also gave the actors Current Body LED masks to use at home to help their skin recover from the environmental stress. Paul and our DP, Michael Bauman, are both incredibly well-versed in film, and along with the lighting team, they supported us whenever needed.
What were your go-to strategies for protecting skin while preserving a weathered look?
I always want actors to come back to the trailer at the end of the day to get cleaned up, so their skin can breathe and be properly moisturized before going home. We used Arcona hydrating masks and LED light therapy to help keep their skin healthy. To prevent breakouts, I made sure everyone had their own Supergoop sunscreen — on set, in their trailer, and at home — so they weren’t relying on whatever was around.
How did you tailor that natural approach to Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti’s characters?
For both Teyana and Chase, it was all about skincare — facials and some extra TLC. PTA had done extensive camera tests before I came on, and loved the rawness Teyana brought to her role. He was very specific that she wear no makeup, aside from the two lashes we added or removed depending on the scene. Chase is naturally stunning as well, and keeping her makeup minimal felt true to her character — especially in moments like when Lockjaw calls it out in the Mission.
How did Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Bob inform your makeup choices and skin prep?
We had two timelines with Bob, and initially Paul considered keeping the same look and making him appear younger using CGI. Leo insisted on making the two looks different and practical. Ahou Mofid, the hair department head, and I showed Paul we could achieve that without him having to wait for Leo in hair and makeup. Ahou brought in Sacha Quarles, and he did a full head of hair extensions for Leo’s younger look, so there was minimal hair to do every day, except styling.
From the script, I knew the older version needed to be an “out-of-shape pot smoker,” with red eyes and slight under-eye bags, so I went in the opposite direction for the younger look — clean-shaven, no sideburns, lots of blurring cream and glow. Since Paul didn’t want touch-ups between takes, I used a lot of alcohol paint and setting spray.
How did you approach maintaining Leonardo DiCaprio’s facial hair throughout the film?
Leo had a few weeks to grow his beard before he joined us. We shot for about two weeks with older Bob, then shaved him and filmed the younger Pat/Bob for another two weeks. The schedule then paused for two months while we waited for Benicio Del Toro to finish another film, giving Leo time to grow his beard back. By then, he had two months of growth — and he loved it. I kept his beard at that length for the rest of the shoot. For upkeep, I generally prefer using scissors to trim beards, as I find they grow out better that way than with clippers. Leo wanted to keep the beard and asked me to shave it off and throw it in a bag for him. I thought I could do better: I sprayed it before shaving, then reassembled it, pinned it to a paper towel, and stored it in a film can for him!
Sean Penn’s character undergoes a major transformation in the third act. What can you share about that design?
We brought in Arjen Tuiten to do the prosthetics. Paul and I gathered visual references for the character and shared those with Arjen, who worked closely with Paul and Sean to develop the prosthetic design. The makeup included cheek, brow, nose, and chin appliances, along with a custom two piece denture and a hand-punched eyebrow. Contact lens was designed and applied by Jessica Nelson.
What aspect of your work on this film are you the most proud of?
To have been able to do the two looks on Leo with minimal CGI used, tied with earning Paul’s trust in keeping his vision.
Words Shannon Levy
Photos Courtesy of Warner Bros.
