Built for the Academy: Mike Fontaine's Oscar-Nominated Prosthetics of Sinners

Built for the Academy: Mike Fontaine's Oscar-Nominated Prosthetics of Sinners

From Look Behind The Look by Host Tiffany Bartok Brings You Closer To The Details Behind Your Favorite Looks In Film, Television and Music

February 15, 2026 · 32 min · Season 5 · Episode 31

About this episode

Mike Fontaine discusses his Oscar-nominated work in SINNERS and his journey in makeup artistry.

Currently, Mike Fontaine is Oscar Nominated for his work in SINNERS, and his work in Marty Supreme is BAFTA Nominated. I loved hearing Mike talking about knowing what he wanted before he hit double digits and how he became a protégé of Dick Smith—the legendary makeup artist behind The Exorcist and The Godfather—who mentored him into adulthood. Mike shares his experiences collaborating with director Ryan Coogler and the challenges of creating authentic characters. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and passion that goes into making unforgettable cinematic moments and learn about Mike's deep appreciation of nature and how it is reflected in his work. 0:00 - Intro 2:28 - Mike’s Origins in Makeup 8:11 - Visualizing Sinners from Script to Screen 10:06 - Reality of Creating Looks on a Budget 12:09 - Authenticity and Realism in Creation 17:03 - The Mountain of Work 18:30 - Collaboration Is King 22:40 - Magic with Releases 24:25 - Mike’s Work on Marty Supreme 30:55 - Outro Get full access to Look Behind The Look at lookbehindthelook.substack.com/subscribe

People in this episode

Host: Tiffany Bartok

Guest: Mike Fontaine

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Academy

Books & works: SINNERS, Marty Supreme, The Exorcist, The Godfather

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