50 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2021
I read the beautiful screenplay in a fl ash, the
moment it arrived. I had anticipated the story
would be about an immigrant family strug-
gling to get into a foreign country, but Minari
is so much more than that. It is a compelling,
beautifully told tale of an individual daring to
follow his dream. The story follows a family
who moves from California to Arkansas so that
their father can realize his dream. I fell in love
with the script. The fact that Walking Dead's
superstar Steven Yeun, and top Korean actors
Youn Yuh-jung and Yeri Han had signed on as
leads, with A24 as a distributor, rushed me to
Tulsa, Oklahoma, with an excited heart.
My most important make-up goal is make-up
that doesn't stand out. I believe it's best when
I've done just enough to get the desired effect,
but not so much that the audience notices. I
believe the best make-up is natural, matches
the actor's emotion and matches the situation
he/she is in. It should never in any way distract
from the performance that the actor is giving. It
is only to support and enhance. That's where my
years of experience come in to play.
Top photo: Melissa Lukenbaugh/A24; bottom left: Josh Ethan Johnson/A24
L-R: Steven Yeun and Will Patton with director Lee Isaac Chung
Photo: Joe Rushmore/A24