WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD
NOVEMBER 14, 2001
WOMEN IN SHOWBIZ
BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVERS: IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD, A WOMAN’S PLACE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES
MICHELE BURKE RECENTLY PRESENTED THE DIRECTOR OF ‘AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER’ WITH 10 CHARACTER STUDIES OF THE JAMES BOND-INSPIRED TITULAR VILLAIN IN THE FILM, GOLDMEMBER. “THE SKETCHES WERE SENSATIONAL MIKE (MYERS) AND I WERE CLAPPING OUR HANDS IN GLEE,” SAYS JAY ROACH, WHO DIRECTED BOTH PREVIOUS ‘AUSTIN POWERS’ FILM AND WORKED WITH BURKE ON THE SECOND ONE, ‘THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME’. “HER CHARACTER WORK WAS BETTER THAN WE DISCUSSED, THEN SHE’LL EXECUTE IT AND IT WILL BE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION. SHE’S NOT ONLY COLLABORATIVE BUT COMPLETELY THOROUGH AND CLEAR-MINDED.” THOROUGHNESS IS THE HALLMARK OF BURKE’S CAREER, WHICH INCLUDES OSCARS FOR ‘QUEST FOR FIRE’ AND ‘BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA’.
MOREOVER, AS ONE OF SIX MOVIE MAKEUP ARTISTS FOR MAX FACTOR, BURKE OCCUPIES A KEY POSITION ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE FASHION WORLD. “I SEE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT WE DID ON FILM TRANSFORMED INTO FASHION SPREADS IN MAGAZINES AND MIMICKED ON STREET LEVEL,” SHE SAYS. “WHEN I DID JENNIFER LOPEZ IN “THE CELL.” WITH A VERY PALE FACE, FEATHERY HAIRDO AND DRIPPING, VINYL-RED LIPS, I COULD SEE A HINT OF THE INSPIRATION AROUND ME.” WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUTY MAKEUP USED ON LEADING LADIES, BURKE MIGHT CALL ON THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE TREND FORECASTERS. BEAUTY EDITORS CONTACT BURKE TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK ASKING HOW SHE DID A STAR’S EYEBROWS OR WHAT SHE EXPECTS TO BE THE LOOK FOR NEXT CHRISTMAS. “THE BEAUTY WORK IS KEY. EVERYTHING I DO COMES OUT OF THAT,” SAYS BURKE. “IF THE LEADING LADY ISN’T BEAUTIFUL, THEN IT’S NOT GOOD AT ALL-UNLESS SHE’S NOT MEANT TO BE.
IN “VANILLA SKY.” HER COMPLEX MAKEUP ON TOM CRUISE, WHO PLAYS A CAR-CRASH SURVIVOR, IS INTRINSIC TO THE STORY. BURKE’S INFLUENCES FOR THIS MAKEUP CAME FROM THE PAINTINGS OF FRANCIS BACON. DOING MAKEUP FOR EVERYTHING FROM PERIOD PIECES TO FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, BURKE USES THE WIDEST ARRAY OF SOURCES TO COME UP WITH IDEAS. BUT HER PREFERENCE ISN’T SO MUCH FOR ANY PARTICULAR GENRE AS IT IS FOR THE CHALLENGE TO INVENT SOMETHING. “THE BEST IS SOMEONE GIVING ME A SCRIPT AND SAYING, “CREATE THE LOOKS,” SHE SAYS. “I LIKE TO DO WHOLE FILMS, CREATE THE WHOLE PALETTE FOR ALL CHARACTERS, SPECIAL EFFECTS AND BEAUTY, THEN PUT THE CREW TOGETHER AND DO IT.
-BRADEN PHILLIPS