Film Crew Files: Noël Hernandez
Noël Hernandez is an Emmy-nominated makeup artist for film and television who lives in Dunwoody. She’s been in the industry for nine years, and like many professionals in the beauty and cosmetics industry, Hernandez transitioned from a longtime position with Sephora to applying makeup to the faces of TV and movie actors.
She doesn’t sugarcoat the tough journey she made, getting from a stable job with Sephora to another stable job protected by the film and TV union. Hernandez says, “I found many makeup jobs, many of which also did not pay or barely paid, and I did as many as I could to gather as much experience and hours so that I could submit all of that to the film and television union for makeup and hair. And that was a three-year period of time before I finally got in.”
But now, Hernandez has as much work as she can handle getting actors ready on set for their shoots, and despite grueling schedules, it’s a rewarding and creative career. “The cool thing about the job is that we really tell a story with each and every character that we work on,” Hernandez says. “We have to make sure that each actor is looking like their character, whether it’s through the use of appropriate makeup for a certain era or period, or if it’s applying prosthetics, and/or trauma makeup … By the time they sit in our chair, we are already knowing what this character needs to look like and how they need to present themselves.”
While Hernandez brings her keen eye for creating a perfect look, the job also demands some serious people skills and the ability to think on her feet. “An actor can be late, or they can have a really bad reaction all of a sudden to makeup. It could be a number of things that set us back, and of course, you never want production waiting on you. You also have to keep the temperature inside the trailer really comfortable and safe, and by that, I mean, keep the voices low, keep the trust strong with your actor and yourself, and make sure that this is a safe place for them.”
Hernandez’s resumé includes work on “The Hunger Games,” as well as period pieces like “Live By Night” and “Bessie.” She especially enjoys these larger-than-life character creations, saying, “When you get to do period makeup, you’re actually on a set that looks exactly like that era. And so that’s exciting, to be a part of creating a piece of history.”
As an Atlantan having found a new path in the booming film industry, Hernandez expressed her admiration for the world-class studios now making our city such a crucial hub for film culture. Despite making big sacrifices and committing to a demanding lifestyle, she says, “This industry has positively affected my life by allowing me to work creatively and to have a family every time I work on a new production. And it’s always unique, it’s always memorable, and there’s always magic in the end. It’s what makes it so special.”
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