Charlize Theron’s Bombshell transformation has many wondering if she had plastic surgery.
Theron’s Bombshell transformation is so flawless that it looks like she did alter herself surgically but she did not. Her transformative look even fooled Megyn Kelly’s child, but it was the exceptional work of award-winning Local 706 special effects makeup artist Kazu Hiro, a devoted student of the late makeup master, Dick Smith.
In her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Theron talked about her look and work in the Jay Roach-directed Fox News drama, noting that her flawless physical change in appearance was thanks to “very intricate work.”
Theron described her affection for Hiro, saying he is “the greatest [special effects makeup artist], Kazu Hiro.” He is an Academy Award winner for Best Makeup for Darkest Hour and nominee for his past work on Norbit and Click.
She noted that getting Hiro to sign on was not an easy accomplishment.
“But I did a lot of begging and he came on and designed eight [prosthetic] pieces for me,” Theron said, adding that two of them “basically covered my entire eyelids.”
Hiro credits his mentor, the late Dick Smith, for giving him a leg up and in the business of Hollywood makeup. Smith was honored for his work in 2014 by the IATSE Local 706 honored Smith with its Make-up Artists Lifetime Achievement Award at the Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards.
Happy 97 years old birthday DICK Smith! I’m forever grateful for who you were, your existence and what you have done. This article inspired me to commit myself to do special effects makeup. And the first reply I got from him. #dicksmith #dicksmithmakeup #fangoria #makeup #sfx pic.twitter.com/qU4CQYbrE0
— Kazu Hiro (@kazustudios) June 26, 2019
And Hiro learned from this master and took that knowledge to stratospheric heights, and his prosthetic work transformed Theron into the reporter Kelly so vividly that the photos of Theron as Kelly even fooled Kelly’s child when they were at a movie theater and the tot spied a poster for the film.
Hiro used a special prosthetic to alter the shape of Theron’s eyelids to change her appearance. He even took a cast of her nose to alter her nostril shape as he showed exactly how on Facebook.
Hiro, who used to work with special effects makeup wizard Rick Baker, now owns his own shop, KTS.
He is also a big fan of Charlize Theron and very proud of her award season buzz for her role too:
Monsters and Critics is a voting member of Critics Choice Awards, and both Charlize and Hiro’s work was recognized in the CCA nominations for the coming Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony in January.
Even his fellow film and TV makeup artist in the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild nominated his work for an award this season.
The trailer shows how impeccable the makeup work is – so much so that people are fooled into thinking Theron had surgery.
Bombshell is in theaters everywhere on Dec. 20th and stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Mark Duplass, Rob Delaney, Malcolm McDowell, and Allison Janney.