AN EVENING WITH... ASHLEY LEVY

"Secret Headquarters" Ashley Levy & Owen Wilson ©Paramount Pictures

Ashley, in "Civil War" makeup has an almost documentary function to convey the harshness of conflict. How did you approach character design to make them feel exhausted and real under Alex Garland's lens, avoiding any trace of conventional "movie makeup"?

- Ashley: For “Civil War”, Alex Garland’s insistence upon not just seeing but *feeling* the aesthetics was so passionate, it really put a sense of urgency into every Department’s desire to convey all the complexities. In addition to  establishing a backstory for every character, I have a basic “Laundry List” for minute details when it specifically pertains to Documentary Style movies. These layers can pile on each other to subconsciously sculpt a multifaceted character, reflective of what is scripted and/or desired by the Director:

1. Cuticles: Do they get their hands dirty, or does someone else do all the dirty work? Would they have access and/or time to wash their hands? In this movie, the answer across the board was “No”, so, Dirt Embedded Cuticles for everyone! In the case of Jesse Plemmon’s character, he had an additional layer of Dried Blood as well, as he was heavily involved in the curation of the dirt hole of “unpatriotic individuals”. The only exception was the President, who in the beginning was clean cut and presentational in his televised address (but by the end he had dirty cuticles too).

2. Hands/Arms/Exposed Skin: Are they Alphas or Betas, personality-wise? Alphas tend to jump in to the action regardless of consequence, so there will usually be tiny residual cuts and scrapes on whatever isn’t covered by clothing. Betas always hang back and avoid conflict, so they’re usually less affected. This tiny detail really adds depth to a the psychological layers of the character.

3. Eye Sallows: Is a person tired or distressed, emotionally and/or physically? Improper sleep, increased cortisol (from stress), and lack of hydration (from lack of access to water OR excessive drinking), causes the skin to thin out along the inside of the eyes as well as underneath. This results in a blueish darkened appearance, due to the capillaries under the skin becoming more apparent, and is easy to replicate on a character. You can make them more evident or discreet over time, dependent on the story.  

4. Lip Hydration: Does this character have access to water and/or are they out in the elements too much (but don’t care)? Probably one of my favorite discreet touches, you can tell a lot about a character by how moist/dry their lips are. For instance, Kirsten Dunst’s character starts out with moist lips that slowly got drier and drier throughout the course of the storyline,, whereas Cailee Spaeny’s character started out dry and became more hydrated as she slowly evolved into a version of “Lee”. Tiny, tiny details that you may not know to look for, but really add to the artistic integrity of a Documentary style piece.

Throw in additional questions like: Blood Stains/Spatter Pattern, the symbolic imagery in repetitious colors, sunburnt skin, sweat, etc to the characters from there, but these are just my personal “fab four” questions I ask the myself when dissecting the characters for this particular style of filmmaking. Every multifaceted design begins with annoyingly basic questions, in my personal approach.

In a film of constant action and complex outdoor settings, what was your strategy for maintaining the continuity of wear and tear and sweat on the actors organically throughout the shoot?

- Ashley: As the movie was treated in true documentary style, both stylistically as well as shooting chronologically, the establishing and maintaining of wear, tear, and sweat was a true hands on experience. We had to form “triage stations” on set that had mini versions of all the things we’d normally go back to the Trailer for: wound transfers, dirt (liquid, powder, rubber dust), sweat (applicable sheen, Evian misters, full irrigators). In between takes, we’d have to run in during Director Notes, or lens changes and do a “run by” refresh of the look. If excessive sweat happened during a take, or extra blood/dirt organically happened, we’d make notes, take pictures, and maintain for the rest of the shoot. Alex Garland gave us both the freedom and responsibility of maintaining the artistic authenticity of the films look, and with that came the foresight of troubleshooting problems in our head before they ever became a distraction and/or disruption.   

You've led the department to successes such as "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "Insidious: The Red Door". How does your process change when makeup has to coexist with such powerful elements as animatronics or very specific lighting effects of the horror genre?

- Ashley: In situations where the makeup either needs to coexist or even take a step back to spotlight the true hero of The Greater Good, interdepartmental communication is 100% the key to making this all work, as well as the understanding that sometimes that specific communication isn’t going to come as easy as it sounds, on paper. On Five Night’s, not only did I ask for a Meet and Greet with the Jim Henson Puppeteers so I could understand the inner workings of each Puppet, but I also made time to be a “fly on the wall” during Stunt rehearsals in order to confirm where each wound would potentially occur, as well as what made it happen (teeth, mechanism, weapon, etc). Treating my department as a complimentary element when the Animatronics were in play was important on the broader picture. For Insidious: The Red Door, it was allll about the Lighting, so I made sure to outfit my trailer with lights that could be specifically be dialed to the same temperature as we were shooting on set, so the makeup would always read as it needed to (no matter how crazy it looked in the daylight). We also had specific gags (black bile vomit in super dark lighting with Dalton made up to be his alter ego in The Further) that required the makeup to be applied on set, as there wasn’t any other way in the time allowed, to make sure it we read perfectly on the day. When you are confined to a finite amount of takes, you need to make sure no one’s time is wasted. 

Bottom Line: even though we are all the leading star in our minds for every show, we have to always be mindful of what elements are truly guiding the story and do our parts in making sure they shine. 

In "The Exorcist: Believer", you work with a very strong visual legacy. How do you balance respecting the franchise's original aesthetic with your own modern vision and technical approach as Department Head?

- Ashley: I think the key to working with any sacred intellectual property is honor the art behind your craft by allowing your ideas to be valued on the same visual plane, but to also make sure proper homage is given to the original. Both David Gordon Green and Chris Nelson handled the reimagining with such finesse and care, it felt like a new entity to anyone who was unfamiliar with the ouvre, but also felt like a respectful reimagining to anyone who grew up with or had a hardcore love for the world.

My job in this situation was to figure out how to nurture these two visionaries in their respective fields, with complimentary aesthetics so that their work could transcend any preconceived notions of what this new franchise was going to be.

"Civil War" by Alex Garland /Jin Ha ©A24

Spinal Tap II is an iconic project. What was the challenge of updating the look of such beloved and satirical characters for 2025, maintaining that "rock & roll" spirit but adapted to a new era?

- Ashley: This project was so fun and special, because it truly felt like a family affair. Rob and Michele Reiner really welcomed my being enveloped into artistic discussions with the Band regarding how their character’s looks would have evolved over the years. I prepared a journal of potential character options ranging from obscene guyliner, bad box hair dye, and bad tattoos, but at the end of the day, keeping the same hair cuts and facial hair whilst letting everything else advance along with the narrative, ended up being the aesthetic of choice. We even maintained the concert makeup from the original, as a way to suspend the emotional evolution of their character’s performance looks, in their minds. This allowed us to really push the other supporting characters looks to an almost satirical level, without being distracting.

HOT TAKE: the drummer that was covered in tattoos during the auditions, didn’t have a single real tattoo on his body! We also had to alter a lot of existing tattoos, when releases weren’t readily available

You've gone from the darkest horror to cult comedy and action films. What attracts you most to radically changing genres between projects?

- Ashley: For me, everything begins and ends with Storytelling. If I can sculpt the aesthetic in a way that furthers the narrative, I want to come play. Whether it is serving a “No Makeup” Makeup look, so that nothing distracts from the compelling storyline presented in the script, or carefully articulating a merciless face desecration that lines up forensically with the creature that inflicted it, if it excites me on a cellular level, I want to be a part of it, and contribute in the way my skill set allows itself to. 

Since "Black Summer", you've managed departments on series and films with very different needs. What is your method for organizing your team when you have to cover everything from special effects to personal beauty makeup for protagonists?

- Ashley: As much as I’ve spent decades building up and curating my Kit (I always make sure my Kit has everything everyone working with us could possibly need, as I look at it like I am hiring for their minds and hands, not their personal stash of supplies) the same goes for collecting skilled makeup technicians whom all have differing focuses and strengths. As my primary objective is staying in constant communication with my Director and the other Department Heads, maintaining the Aesthetic, and keeping my Lead Actor well looked after/Picture Ready, it is incredibly important that I arrange a crew that perfectly fits the needs of the show, as well as “vibes” together. I will typically fight to bring my Key with me on every show (depending on the budget for the show, as it isn’t always an easy and/or achievable task), because her strengths complement the Trailer in ways that are conducive to my focusing on what *I* personally excel at, depending on the Project.

As each show has different needs, I’ll crew up accordingly. For “Oh. What. Fun.”, I needed primarily Beauty artists who not only could maintain the looks, but could also compliment the good energy that was being created on set. For Black Summer, we focused on hiring primarily FX artists, knowing that everyone would need to be able to execute designs on all cast at all times, given the time and environmental constraints. 

Building a Team that you trust, and believes in the greater good of the project is the most important aspect of a successful Team. I also live and die by the phrase “You need to Command respect, not Demand respect”when it comes to inspiring my Team to implement the designs of the Show. 

In productions such as "Project Power" or "The Conjuring", you worked in additional units or as part of the makeup team. How did those experiences in large productions help you form your own methodology now that you are a department head?

- Ashley: It sounds cliche’, but it’s true what they say: there are no small parts, just small actors. Every experience in every capacity is an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the Greater Good. I feel just as honored to Department Head as I do to work as an Additional Makeup Artist, because it means someone on some level has trusted me with their vision, and I never take that lightly. That being said, being able to view other departments being run in different ways has helped tweak how I personally run my Departments, in that I can really fine tune what I think would work in my environment, and what maybe wouldn’t be a good fit. All of that aside, if I am ever asked to come work on someone else’s show (*especially* when it comes to the Horror genre), I am a Makeup Slut. Ha. 

"Civil War" by Alex Garland / Kristen Dunst ©A24

 To converse with Ashley Levy is to be infected by the vibrant energy of someone who deeply loves every facet of this craft, from the initial sketch to the final touch-up on set. Her career is an inspiring testament to how character design knows no bounds; she is an artist who has known how to open doors in any genre, moving with astonishing fluidity from the most visceral and dark horror to the most eclectic and audacious cult comedy. Ashley reminds us that our work is not just aesthetic, but narrative: we are in charge of materializing fears, laughter, and mythologies.

Thank you, Ashley, for sharing your unreserved vision and for reminding us that, whether working side-by-side among complex animatronics or designing faces on epic battlefields, the truth and soul of the character always begin in that moment of intimacy in front of the makeup artist's mirror. Your passion for physical craftsmanship in a digital world is a beacon for all of us. We can't wait to see your next works and the new realities you decide to create.

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

See you at the next shoot, Makeup Artist.