Samantha Tansey: A Makeup Artist of the World

Samantha Tansey: A Makeup Artist of the World

Samantha Tansey’s career as a makeup artist has taken her to exotic locations across several cities around the world.

The London-based artist’s career recently came full circle last summer. Samantha worked for The Royal Shakespeare Company in the wigs and makeup department. The production of ‘The Tempest’, debuted on stage at London’s Barbican Theatre, starring Simon Russell Beale, known as “the greatest stage actor of his generation”, featured in TV, film and theatre.

The experience was invaluable and essential to furthering Samantha’s career.

“It really pushed me as an artist – because I learned that it’s not about perfection but about time. My makeup application and wig work really was pushed. By the end of the London tour I was the queen at changing wigs and makeup in record time. The challenge of accounting for the sweat and bodily fluids of actors, was an education.”

As the key makeup artist on the film, ‘VANish’, Samantha performed in extreme conditions in the deserts of California. The Netflix produced film starred veteran actor, Danny Trejo, Disney’s, Maiara Walsh, and horror film icon, Tony Todd.

“Filming in crazy heat in the desert was an experience. Even my feet were burning on the sand.”

 Samantha performed as the makeup artist on the film, ‘Judwaa 2’. The Bollywood production explores the story of twin brothers separated at birth, yet are connected to each other through their reflexes. As adults, they take down the underground smuggling world. Filmed in London, India and the Phillipines, ‘Judwaa 2’ presented unique challenges - from working with the biggest names in the Bollywood industry to having to employ her craft in a different culture of filmmaking.

As makeup supervisor/key makeup artist on the film, ‘Fanged Up’, Samantha performed in an abandoned prison in Portsmouth, UK, in the dead of winter.

“The prison was haunted. It used to be a maximum security prison. We were covered in blood for most of the shoot with some outrageous blood rigs, cannons and gags.”

Across three continents, Samantha Tansey has journeyed in pursuit of her craft. Her clients include icons of Bollywood films and Hollywood stars.