Awards Radar recently had the opportunity to interview Matiki Anoff, the makeup designer on the film The Book of Clarence. During our email correspondence, Anoff discussed how she got involved in the movie, her research process, how she designed Mary Magdalene’s look when she was stoned, and much more.
The film, directed by Jeymes Samuel, follows Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), who is struggling to find a better life for his family while fighting to free himself of debt. Drawn by the power of the rising Messiah, Clarence risks everything to create his own path to divine life, only to realize that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.
Keep reading to learn more about her work on the movie.
Can you tell us about your background and how it led you to become involved with The Book of Clarence?
Matiki Anoff: Well, I am a multi-award-winning Makeup Designer/Makeup Department Head, spanning over two decades. My credits include Fences, MaRainey, Wonderwoman 84, The Wiz Live, and The Notebook, just to name a few. I was recommended to director Jeymes Samuel by Oscar-award-winning actress Regina King.
Could you share some insights about the hours of research you had to do to ensure that every scar on the characters authentically represents their African heritage?
Matiki Anoff: When I first read the script (one week prior), I immediately delved into every Google, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube account to establish a timeline of the era. After that, every single night after wrapping and every weekend was spent researching specific tribes and their indigenous-specific appearance. It was crucial to the integrity of the film to fulfill this accurately. I focused on such areas as what wounds swords would make on the gladiators and how layers of dust would change the hue of the skin of the poorer characters or characters who had traveled from afar. After curating the looks, I would send the images to Jeymes nightly for him to sign off on his selections, often for the next day’s shoot.
How did you handcraft and apply over 20 beards every morning of shooting for the disciples?
Matiki Anoff: I didn’t have any time to have the disciples pre-fitted for facial hair. So, I immediately collaborated with my exceptional Italian make-up crew to design a distinctive beard for each one of them. Each disciple’s beard was painstakingly hand-laid and color-corrected to match each disciple’s skin tone and facial structure. We documented each look from all angles to ensure persistent continuity throughout the production.
Can you tell us about the process of designing Mary Magdalene’s looks for the film, including when she was stoned and dripping with blood?
Matiki Anoff: Mary Magdalene had a specific character arch that needed to be explored visually. Her character transforms from a high-spirited rebel to a demure follower of Christ, and her makeup transformation is needed to exemplify that arch. I designed a stronger, tougher appearance for her earlier scenes, then stripped down her look for a softer, ethereal makeup look after the stoning. Jeymes and I agreed on the specific amount of blood for the stoning scene.
How did you ensure that the looks of 500+ background actors accurately depicted biblical history and the period of the film?
Matiki Anoff: My initial approach was to collaborate with the amazing Italian Crowd Supervisor and her team of 15 artists to design the ethnic looks for the multitude of backgrounds actors. Once we had their regional looks established, we designed tribal scars and makeup for each regional group. This included the actors’ ethnicity, beard design, and tribal identity. Beards, scars, dirt, dust, and even leprosy.
What was the biggest challenge in designing a large volume of looks with only four days to prep?
Matiki Anoff: I would have to say that the biggest challenge was ensuring the authenticity of the period with such limited preparation. My combined teams, U.S. and Italian synchronized effortlessly to perfect this at lightning speed. Small details like ensuring that the male character’s ear piercings were filled in was one major chore for us. Also, applying hair to the over-plucked brows of the female characters so that they accurately portrayed the period. I just want to make this emphatically clear that I could not have achieved any of these tasks without the invaluable and incredibly talented makeup crews from both the U.S. and Italy. So often, artists are not properly credited for their work, and I want to emphasize how incredibly lucky I was to work with such talent.
What were some of the most memorable moments for you working on the film?
Matiki Anoff: I would have to say this was the most unique set I have ever worked on. Matera, although physically challenging, was simply magical cinematically. However, the most memorable moments were actually between takes. Jeymes Samual (our director) is also an incredibly accomplished music writer, producer, and artist in his own right. Normally, the ADs insist on silence between setups, but on BOC, Jeymes would blast music, and the entire cast and crew would dance and sing. I have never experienced such joy on a set as this one.
What’s next for you?
Matiki Anoff: I have just completed yet another period piece, this time the 1950s. Killing Castro captures the time Fidel Castro came to address the UN assembly. However, many factions were attempting to assassinate him. It stars Al Pacino.
Thank you, Matiki!
