Mike Elizalde

Mike Elizalde
Born	Winston Miguel Elizalde 1960 (age 55–56) Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Occupation	Special make-up effects artist
Years active	1987-present
Spouse(s)	Mary Elizalde (May 23, 1992-Present)
Children	2

Mike Elizalde (born 1960) is an American special make-up effects artist. He was nominated at the 81st Academy Awards in the category of Best Makeup for his work on the film Hellboy II: The Golden Army.^[1]

Early life

Born Winston Miguel Elizalde in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. His parents were Miguel Angel Elizalde and Paula Torres Elizalde. His father was a successful aviator, and an engineer. His mother Paula came from a very poor family and the Elizalde family never approved of the marriage. During the short time they were married, Mike's father became very ill. He passed away when Mike was two years old and left no provisions in his will for Mike or his mother. They found themselves out on the street with nowhere to go.

At the tender age of twenty-two, Paula had to try her best to raise her young son on her own. This was a very difficult time for her, with nowhere to turn for help. She brought Mike to Tijuana, Baja California from Mazatlán in hopes of finding a better life across the border in the United States. They lived in a shantytown with no running water and no electricity.

After two years in Tijuana, Paula met and married a man named Ignacio Castaño who was a U.S. citizen. He was a kind hearted man of limited means. They had a child, Mike's brother Eddie. Ignacio was the person who opened Mike's eyes to the amazing world of monsters and science fiction. It was with him that Mike first saw James Whale’s 1931 masterpiece Frankenstein.The poignant portrayal of the Monster, played by Boris Karloff, was instrumental in inspiring him to become a Hollywood makeup artist and still resonates deeply with Mike, as it does with hundreds of other special effects artists today.

The couple moved to California where they tried to build a new life but the marriage was not a happy one. Ignacio left Paula after a few years when their marriage failed.

Surviving through government aid, Paula and her two boys moved frequently because she couldn’t afford to pay rent. Mike was always the new kid at school and was always trying to adapt to new places where he would only live for a few short months. His mother couldn’t cope with the stress of their situation and developed an addiction to prescription medications that lasted until the time of her death when Mike was fourteen years old.

Another creative outlet that helped Mike cope with his situation was magic. He became a performing magician in his mid teens. While attending high school at Alhambra High School, in Alhambra, California, Mike spent countless hours at a fantastic illusion company called Owen Magic Supreme, where he continued to expand his knowledge base and practice magic.

Career

Mike taught himself to sculpt and create prosthetic makeup effects by following the work of his mentors Dick Smith, Stan Winston, and Rick Baker. After serving for eight years in the United States Navy, during which time he became a naturalized U.S. citizen, Mike returned to Hollywood, California to make his dreams come true. He continued to develop his skills by working in several Hollywood special effects studios, including Rick Baker's Cinovation Studios and Stan Winston Studio.

He became an animatronics designer, puppeteer, and prosthetic makeup artist with the knowledge he acquired. In 1994, he and his wife Mary formed Spectral Motion, a design studio specializing in creature effects, prosthetic makeup, robotics, and animatronics. Mike has worked on over 100 films in his career, including Men in Black, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Hellboy and Birdman. Mike won a Saturn Award in 2000 and has earned many other nominations and awards for his work in the film industry.

Affiliations

Mike is a Magician Member and is an officer (Secretary) on the Board of Directors at The Academy of Magical Arts at the world famous Hollywood Magic Castle. He is also a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences where he served on the Executive Committee for the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists branch for six years. He is also a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 706, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

References

External links

• Mike Elizalde at the Internet Movie Database