Donald Mowat’s love for film started early, but it was seeing Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon at the age of 12 that sparked his love for make-up specifically.

Today, Donald is one of the industry’s most sought-after makeup artists working with some of the world’s most notable directors including John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese, Sam Mendes, and David Mamet among many others.

Over the past decade, Donald has worked closely with Denis Villeneuve. Their latest partnership Dune, a project in which Donald is make-up and hair department head as well as prosthetic designer, is the culmination of Donald’s vast experience and his working relationship with Villeneuve.

We recently had a chance to speak with Donald about his career, the challenges of making Dune, how technology is changing the industry, and he provides great insights for young people interested in starting their careers in film.