The Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards celebrate the best in makeup artistry.
Johnny Depp presented the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award to Oscar-winning makeup artist Ve Neill at Paramount Studios on February 20. Depp was a fitting choice to present the Lifetime Achievement Award, since Neill worked with him in Pirates of the Caribbean and Edward Scissorhands.
Neill has the honor of being the first female makeup artist to win this coveted award. She is considered a “unique talent” in film makeup, special effects, and designing unique beauty makeup looks.
Ve has won numerous awards including three Oscars. Neill first won for her incredible skill at transforming Robin Williams into Mrs. Doubtfire in the 1993 film by that name, and then for her stunning work in Ed Wood and Beetlejuice. She has been nominated for eight Oscars.
Neill also won an Emmy for The Shining and a Daytime Emmy Award for Pee-wee’s Playhouse. She is best known for Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hunger Games, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Ve Neill has also won several international awards. She was the first makeup artist to be warded the Hollywood Foreign Press Makeup Artist of the Year. In addition, Neill was the first makeup artist to be MAC Cosmetics Makeup Artist of the Year.
She contributes to the profession of makeup artistry by serving as a judge on the Syfy series Face Off. This show features makeup artists who compete for $100,000.
Neill was born Mary Flores in Riverside, California. She honed her skills in transforming people as a rock stylist before transitioning into the film industry and finding her passion in extreme fantasy makeup.