Inside Secrets of Star Trek: Picard Season 3's Mind-Blowing Prosthetic Transformations Revealed!

Summary

James MacKinnon, the head of the makeup department for Star Trek: Picard, and his team are strong contenders to win the Emmy for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup.

MacKinnon has an extensive background in the Star Trek franchise, having contributed to earlier series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. During his time working on these shows, he was responsible for designing prosthetics and makeup for iconic characters like the Borg Queen, Worf, and Data. His artistic ambition lies in crafting makeups that are so flawlessly integrated that the audience remains unaware of their prosthetic nature.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 has received two Emmy nominations, with James MacKinnon and his prosthetic makeup team being strong contenders for the Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup award. James MacKinnon has an impressive background in the Star Trek franchise, starting in the 1990s with Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He worked alongside his mentor, Michael Westmore, as a prosthetic makeup and special makeup effects artist, even contributing to Star Trek: First Contact. Notably, MacKinnon has previously won Emmys for his exceptional work in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard.

Screen Rant had the pleasure to chat with James MacKinnon about Star Trek: Picard season 3's home video release. We discussed his Emmy-nominated work on Picard's Borg Queen (Alice Krige/Jane Edwina Seymour), Worf (Michael Dorn), Data (Brent Spiner), and his overall career creating makeup and prosthetics for Star Trek.

James MacKinnon Talks Star Trek: Picard Season 3's Prosthetics & Makeup

Screen Rant: Kudos on your Emmy nominations for Picard. While it's fantastic that your department received recognition, it appears that other departments, including the talented actors, writers, and directors, were overlooked this year.

James MacKinnon praised their excellent work, although he personally felt a bit let down. In an episode of Picard, he made a brief appearance in the turbo-lift alongside Seven of Nine. Terry Matalas acknowledged him in the commentary.

James MacKinnon has been involved in the production of various Star Trek projects for the past 27 years, often making brief appearances in each of them. He enjoys having his presence felt in the franchise.

Are you more inclined towards portraying Starfleet characters or do you have a fascination for playing alien roles?

James MacKinnon mentioned that in season 2 he portrayed a Borg, and in season 1 as well. However, he was uncertain about his role in season 2. Unlike his usual appearances where he is completely covered in makeup, in this season, his face was visible. The article also mentioned that he had the opportunity to portray three aliens that were on his bucket list for Picard season 3. The question is, which three aliens did he get to portray?

James MacKinnon: It's exciting for me as an artist to have the opportunity to revisit characters like Worf, Data, and the Ferengi. In my line of work, the materials and techniques change over time, as do my own artistic abilities. So when I get the chance to work on these characters again, I can bring new ideas and improvements while still maintaining their core essence. This collaboration with Neville Page and Vincent Van Dyke from VVD effects allows us to keep the original looks that fans love while enhancing them to fit the present day.

Speaking of which, I actually had the chance to work on DS9, which is my favorite Star Trek series. Being a massive Ferengi fan, it was amazing to upgrade Sneed from Quark back in the 90s.

James MacKinnon reflects on the advancements in film technology, noting the shift from foam latex to silicone and the increased resolution of 8K, 10K, and 12K cameras. As a result, artists must elevate their skills to ensure that every detail is flawless, as any imperfections are magnified on screen. MacKinnon prefers that the visual effects supervisor doesn't alter his work, striving for originality. He acknowledges that while higher resolutions may not be suitable for certain audiences, as artists, they must rise to the challenge and create makeup effects that exceed expectations. The ultimate goal is to prevent any criticism or complaints from discerning fans, who meticulously scrutinize every scene.

Let's discuss the Borg Queen briefly. She is an absolutely astounding representation of the Borg Queen. What was involved in creating the most intimidating appearance of the Queen to date?

James MacKinnon: Yes, she has elements reminiscent of H.R. Giger. Over the past few years, she has undergone some modifications since we last saw her around 20 years ago, when she disappeared in the finale of Star Trek: Voyager. I was also present during the filming of that. I worked on First Contact as well. It was fascinating to witness all of that unfold - I have a little side anecdote about that involving Brent. Being able to recreate such a captivating character repeatedly offers a new opportunity. However, the makeup process takes five hours. There are 13 prosthetics applied to her face and body to achieve the desired look. Additionally, Dave Blass is constructing the set she is enclosed in, to which she is attached and we have to secure her. The actress, Jane Edwina Seymour, did an exceptional job enduring long hours on set for approximately 18 hours, in addition to the five hours spent in the makeup chair.

Yeah, what a trooper she was. She does such a great performance.

James MacKinnon: Yeah, she did. She was amazing. A treat to work with.

There is considerable jesting in the commentary for the conclusion regarding how Jack Crusher essentially resembled the first Borg with hair, and the envy that Jeri Ryan felt.

James MacKinnon: Indeed, that is accurate. Absolutely.

What prompted the decision to keep Jack's hair instead of making him bald like a Borg?

James MacKinnon: I believe that was Terry's decision. It works, though. It's similar to what happened on Discovery, where our Klingons were initially portrayed without hair, but suddenly had hair in season 2. There are reasons and changes involved in the direction we take. But I think that decision was made by Terry. However, Jack looked... I actually have some photos of him in the Locutus and Borg Queen positions from First Contact. So I have a couple of great photos of them in that same scenario.

James MacKinnon's assistant, Hugo Villasenor, was responsible for creating the makeup for Vadic. It was a fun process working with Amanda Plummer, who brought a great passion and talent to her role as an actress. As both a makeup artist and actor, we collaborated closely to bring the character to life through the makeup application. It was fascinating to witness the transformation as we removed eyebrows and added scars, and Amanda truly embraced the character during the session. Her verbiage and personality changed as she fully immersed herself in the role. The process underwent significant changes from the initial plans, but it was a rewarding experience for me as an artist to develop this unique approach.

The topic of discussion was Worf, and it's undeniable how impressive he appears as an older Klingon. One could argue that he has never looked better. What were Michael Dorn's thoughts on the complete metamorphosis that turned him into the formidable samurai-like Worf?

James MacKinnon had some PTSD related to his experiences on DS9 and Voyager, as well as from his past. It took some time to prepare him for this, but with the use of new products and silicone, we were able to complete his makeup and hair in just 42 minutes. Previously, he would spend over two hours in the chair. This accelerated process made him happier, as he didn't have to sit for as long. Brent and Jonathan, who are part of the legacy cast, were also present in the trailer, bringing a sense of camaraderie and humor. Having worked with them for years, I almost feel like a part of the makeup legacy cast as well, which is quite enjoyable considering our shared history.

To ensure James felt comfortable, we incorporated techniques from the original shows. Since silicone is not porous, we had to create channels for sweat to escape when he perspired. In the past, he would wear a sweatband under his prosthetic, but this time the prosthetic was too thin. As a solution, I cut a sleeve off a T-shirt and placed it around his head. The prosthetic was then applied over it, with a bit of touch-up around the edges where the T-shirt peeked out. The hair effectively concealed it all, and the T-shirt absorbed any sweat throughout the day. As an artist, it's these types of creative problem-solving moments that I find rewarding. Seeing James happy and walking out satisfied with his character is always the ultimate goal.

And Brent also looks fantastic as an older Data. Can you talk about how his appearance was crafted to portray him as both human and android? It was a perfect blend of both.

James MacKinnon: In season 1, he clearly looked like an android. I had the opportunity to assist Mike Westmore during the making of First Contact. There's a scene where Data opens his hand and you can see some wires and other details. I worked on that while Mike was focusing on his face. So I witnessed that process firsthand. Before we started filming, I discussed with Mike the products he used, but unfortunately, they are no longer available. We had to recreate those colors using modern materials, which made the process much faster. For Brent's appearance, I applied a shiny tattoo-like color across his face. This gave him a plastic and slightly robotic feel, without the shimmer of Data's usual color. Additionally, Maxine Morris, our Department of Hairstyles, created an amazing front lace wig for him. It blended perfectly with his own hair. So, 99% of what you see is his real hair, with a lace piece adding a sharp front edge.

He looked absolutely incredible. In terms of your extensive Star Trek career spanning back to the 90s, where would you place Picard season 3?

James MacKinnon: It's a mixture of all the seasons. Having that same cast together is truly special, maintaining our friendships over the years and being able to work on their makeup once again. I'm also involved in Jonathan's side project, which allows us to keep that connection. It's just amazing to have them all back again. Hopefully, we'll have the opportunity to see them again if things work out. As for my involvement, I'm not sure, as they always claim to be financially deprived. Their lack of money is a constant complaint.

What are you most proud of regarding your work on Picard season 3? The incredible effort put into bringing all the prosthetics and makeup to life.

James MacKinnon: When I watch it, especially on IMAX, my goal is for the audience and fans to not even notice the makeup. That's how I know I've done my job well. Despite the intimidating size of the screen, everything looked fantastic and I didn't even make any weird faces this time. It's like shooting a feature film every week, which challenges me as an artist to constantly improve. Plus, as technology advances, viewers will be able to see even more details on their larger TVs. My 95-inch TV is almost like a theater screen, and being able to fool the viewer's eye into thinking it's not makeup is truly satisfying.

About Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Explore our collection of interviews for season 3 of Star Trek: Picard here.

Production Designer Dave Blass

Showrunner Terry Matalas on the finale

Jonathan Frakes

Showrunner Terry Matalas

Jeri Ryan

Daniel Davis

Gates McFadden

Todd Stashwick

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Red Carpet

Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut for the premiere and finale

Star Trek: Picard – The Final Season can now be found on DVD, Blu-ray™, and a special Blu-ray SteelBook exclusively from Paramount Home Entertainment. Additionally, Star Trek: Picard – The Complete Series is also currently attainable. Mark your calendars for November 7 when the limited-edition Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection will become accessible.