Make-up to both shake and stir 007
19-Nov-2006 • Casino Royale
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Melissa Lackersteen made up actresses, Eva Green - Vesper Lynd, Caterina Murino - Solange and Ivana Milicevic - Valenca, for the film, released on Thursday, Nov 16.
After six months of filming Ms Lackersteen only saw the completefilm at a cast and crew showing a few weeks before it was released.
She said: "I couldn't get a sense of the film being shot, as I was off set and couldn't hear the dialogue. So it was really exciting to finally see it on screen."
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She invited me along for a session to mutate from local newspaper reporter to Bond girl.
The first thing she advised me was to wear brown eyeliner, not black and wear more earthy tones, rather than pink lipstick. She is keen not to promote a caked-in-make-up look and thinks people look better if natural qualities are enhanced.
She said: "I love doing make-up because I enjoy seeing people's transformation and bringing out the best in them."
Ms Lackersteen, who has been in the business for 17 years, has worked on big-budget films including Gladiator, Tomb Raider, Troy, Cold Mountain, Munich, Kingdom of Heaven, Star Wars: Phantom Menace, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Judge Dredd, as well as the last James Bond, Die Another Day.
She said Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig was fantastic.
She said: "I was so pleased to be part of it. Daniel Craig is brilliant in it and he is the best Bond ever, really dynamic and hard-edge."
âI love doing make-up because I enjoy seeing peopleâs transformation and bringing out the best in them.â
Ms Lackersteen was travelling with the film crew from January to June in Prague, the Czech Republic, Italy and the Bahamas.
She said: "Eva Green has really proved herself as an actress in this movie.
"She also has very strong opinions on her look and likes strong make-up and deep-red lips. But she looks lovely natural too.
"I gave Caterina an Arabesque-style look. She looks amazing in the beach scene, with her bright green bikini on dark skin.
"Blonde, Ivana is a contrast to the others. She is very like a model and her face loves make-up."
Ms Lackersteeen, who trained in hair and art, went to the London College of Fashion. She said she had more or less free rein on the film.
She said: "I had discussions with the actresses about what make-up they would like, because I wanted them to feel happy, but also gave my views as I had read the script."
Ms Lackersteeen started her career on Batman with Michael Keaton in 1989.
She is in the process of launching business, Make Up Matters, to bring the glitz of the screen to everyday women, who want to learn to apply make-up professionally.
She said: "Through a two-hour session I apply their make-up and then supervise them applying it.
"But it is not just about the make-up, I believe it can actually change people from within and bringing out their inner beauty and confidence.
"Helping people to do that is the best buzz of all."
She is due to work on the second film of the Narnia trilogy next year.
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