IRISH AMERICAN
MARCH/APRIL 1994
FROM ELLIS ISLAND TO THE AMERICAN DREAM: TOP 100
MICHELE BURKE
THE WINNER OF TWO ACADEMY AWARDS, FOR BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA AND QUEST FOR FIRE, MAKE-UP ARTIST MICHELE BURKE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN KILDARE, IRELAND, THE SECOND OLDEST IN A FAMILY OF TEN CHILDREN. MICHELE STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MADRID AND THEN EMIGRATED TO CANADA IN 1973 WITH THE VAST FORTUNE OF $30. AFTER VARIOUS JOBS, INCLUDING RUNNING A HEALTH FOOD RESTAURANT AND STAGING FASHION SHOWS, SHE DECIDED TO BECOME A MAKEUP ARTIST WHEN A FRIEND SHOWED HER HIS PORTFOLIO. “IT HIT ME LIKE A THUNDERBOLT, THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING YOU COULD DO AS A CAREER,” SHE SAYS, ON THE TELEPHONE FROM ENGLAND WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANNE RICE/NEIL JORDAN FILM INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. “I WAS FASCINATED BY THE METAMORPHOSIS. THAT YOU COULD CHANGE PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM SO DIFFERENT THROUGH THE USE OF MAKEUP, COLOR, PAINT AND HIGHLIGHT AND SHADOW.”
AFTER THAT “THERE WAS NO GOING BACK” FOR MICHELE. SHE TOOK A COURSE IN MAKE-UP AND EMBARKED ON A CAREER THAT IS “A LOT OF FUN. YOU NEVER DO THE SAME JOB TWICE. YOU’RE GIVEN A SCRIPT OR A JOB THAT YOU HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE AND SO YOU’VE GOT TO COME UP WITH IDEAS. IT’S CHALLENGING, EXCITING AND A LOT OF HARD WORK.”
THE FIRST TIME SHE WON AN ACADEMY AWARD, SHE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS A FLUKE. BUT WHEN SHE WON THE SECOND OSCAR SHE KNEW THAT SHE HAD ARRIVED. IT MEANT THAT SHE COULD GET JOBS SHE ONLY DREAMED ABOUT BEFORE. “WHEN I HEARD NEIL JORDAN WAS GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT [INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE] I JUST GOT AS BOLD AS BRASS AND SENT HIM MY RESUME. OF COURSE I MET HIM AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS [JORDON ALSO WON AN AWARD]. IT WAS A PERFECT TIME FOR ME TO GO UP TO HIM AND SAY ‘HI I’M MICHELE.'”
WORKING WITH NEIL JORDAN IS “GREAT. HE’S INCREDIBLE. VERY INTENSE AND HIGHLY CREATIVE. I’M ALWAYS AMAZED WHEN I COME TO THE SET AND I’VE IMAGINED HOW THEY ARE GOING TO SHOOT IT AND THERE’S A WHOLE OTHER SLANT ON HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT.”
EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS LIVED IN THE U.S. A LONG TIME, MICHELE SAYS THAT SHE NEVER FEELS ANYTHING BUT IRISH. “WHAT’S SO NICE,” SHE SAYS, WAS THE WAY THE IRISH RECOGNIZED HER AWARD AND MADE SUCH A FUSS OF HER IN IRELAND. NOW “HOPEFULLY,” SHE SAYS, ONE DAY SHE WILL WORK WITH “JIM SHERIDAN OR KENNETH BRANNAGH OR ANYONE [IRISH] THAT WILL HAVE ME.”
SHE MISSES IRELAND A LOT. “WHEN I GO OVER THERE IT’S LIKE BREATHING IN AMAZING FEELINGS. IT’S ALL SO NICE AND FAMILIAR AND COMFORTABLE- MY FAMILY, THE PEOPLE, THE TREES, EVERYTHING. I JUST FEEL SO GOOD WHEN I GET BACK THERE.”