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Greg Nicotero

American special effects make-up artist

Summary

American special effects make-up artist

Field	Value
image	Greg Nicotero Photo Op GalaxyCon New Orleans 2025.jpg
caption	Nicotero at GalaxyCon New Orleans in 2025
birth_date
birth_name	Gregory Nicotero
birth_place	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
relatives	Frank Nicotero (cousin)
occupation	{{Flatlist
known for	The Walking Dead
years_active	1985–present

Director
SFX Artist
Producer

Gregory Nicotero (born March 15, 1963) is an American special make-up effects creator, television producer, and director. His first major job in special effects makeup was on the George A. Romero film Day of the Dead (1985), under the tutelage of Romero and make-up effects veteran Tom Savini.

In 1988, along with Robert Kurtzman and Howard Berger, he formed KNB EFX Group, a special make-up effects studio which has gone on to work on over 400 film and television projects. KNB has won numerous awards, including an Emmy Award in 2001 for their work on the 2000 Sci Fi Channel miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and an Academy Award in 2006 for achievement in makeup for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

He served as an senior producer/executive producer, special make-up effects supervisor, and primary director on the AMC TV series The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. Nicotero has directed 37 episodes of The Walking Dead and is the creator of the webseries The Walking Dead: Webisodes.

Life and career

Nicotero claims he began taking an interest in special effects after viewing the film Jaws. He explains: "I kept thinking 'How the hell did they do that?! How'd they build a big giant shark that could eat people?!' So, between that movie, The Exorcist, Planet of the Apes, and of course all of the Universal horror movies [...] I think Jaws and then later Dawn of the Dead were pretty much the two movies that did it for me." Nicotero began his career working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, learning the trade of special make-up effects, also known as prosthetic makeup, from Tom Savini, an award-winning special effects and makeup artist, and helping on films by director George A. Romero.

While working on the 1985 Romero film Day of the Dead, he met Howard Berger, who would become one of his partners at KNB EFX Group. Nicotero relocated to Hollywood and moved in with Berger and Robert Kurtzman.

He later worked as FX artist on the 2010 film Predators and created a classic predator figure for the film.

Nicotero worked as special make-up effects supervisor, co-executive producer and occasional director for the TV series The Walking Dead, as well as acting in a few uncredited cameos. He was at San Diego Comic-Con for the show. He was a guest on Talking Dead on March 24, 2013, October 12, 2014, February 8, 2015, and February 14, 2016. He also supervises the make-up effects for Fear the Walking Dead.

In 2011, Nicotero was interviewed for the 2012 zombie special effects book "Blood Splatter: A Guide to Cinematic Zombie Violence, Gore and Special Effects" by author Craig W. Chenery.

He was a guest on the MythBusters Zombie Special on October 17, 2013.

He designed a Leatherface skin for the 2023 game - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre that bears his name, known as "Nicotero Leatherface". It was released October 24, 2023.

In 2025, Nicotero developed and hosted the reality television show Guts & Glory on Shudder.

Filmography

Year	Title	Notes	1985	1985	1987	1987	1987	1988	1988	1989	1989	1989	1989	1990	1990	1990	1990	1990	1991	1992	1993	1993	1993	1994	1994	1994	1995	1995	1995	1996	1996	1996	1996	1996	1997	1997	1997	1997	1998	1998	1998	1999	1999	1999	2000	2000	2000	2000	2001	2001	2001	2001	2001	2001	2001	2002	2002	2002	2002	2002	2002	2002	2003	2003	2003	2003	2003	2003	2003	2004	2004	2004	2004	2004	2005	2005–2007	2005	2005	2005	2005	2005	2005	2005	2005	2005	2006	2006	2006	2006	2006	2006	2006	2006	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2007	2008	2008	2010	2010	2010	2010	2010–2022	2010	2010	2010	2011	2011	2011	2011	2011–2012	2011	2012	2012	2012	2012	2013	2013	2013	2014	2015	2015	2016	2019	TBA
Day of the Dead	Special makeup effects artist
Invasion U.S.A.	Additional special effects makeup
Creepshow 2	Special effects
Predator	Creature effects crew (uncredited)
Evil Dead II	Special makeup effects unit crew
Phantasm II	Special makeup effects constructor and special effects crew
Monkey Shines	Special Makeup Effects Artist
**	Special effects
Intruder	Special Makeup Effects Artist
DeepStar Six	Creature supervisor
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers	Special effects supervisor
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III	Makeup artist
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie	Special makeup effects supervisor
Bride of Re-Animator	Special makeup effects artist
Misery	Special makeup effects artist
Dances with Wolves	Buffalo effects supervisor
**	Special makeup effects supervisor
Army of Darkness	Special makeup effects
Body Bags (TV film)	Special makeup effects
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday	Effects supervisor and special makeup effects artist
Doppelganger	Special makeup effects
Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings	Special makeup effects supervisor
Pulp Fiction	Special makeup supervisor (uncredited)
Wes Craven's New Nightmare	Special makeup effects
Vampire in Brooklyn	Special makeup effects: puppeteer
In the Mouth of Madness	Special makeup effects
Lord of Illusions	Special makeup effects supervisor
Eraser	Animatronic crocodiles supervisor
From Dusk till Dawn	Makeup effects supervisor
Scream	Special makeup effects supervisor
Jingle All the Way	Turboman costume and special makeup effects
Black Sheep	Puppeteer
Spawn	Animatronic creature and special makeup effects
Boogie Nights	Special makeup effects supervisor
Wishmaster	Special makeup effects
Scream 2	Special makeup effects supervisor
Vampires	Special makeup effects
Very Bad Things	Supervisor
**	Special makeup and creature effects
**	Special makeup effects supervisor
**	Special makeup effects supervisor
House on Haunted Hill	Special makeup effects
Little Nicky	Special makeup and creature effects supervisor
Frank Herbert's Dune (TV miniseries)	Lead special effects supervisor
**	Prosthetics and special makeup effects supervisor
Unbreakable	Special makeup effects supervisor
Spy Kids	Makeup effects supervisor and creature effects
**	Special makeup effects artist
Mulholland Drive	Special makeup effects artist
Ghosts of Mars	Special makeup effects artist
Thirteen Ghosts	Special makeup effects artist and supervisor
Vanilla Sky	Special makeup effects supervisor
Evolution	Supervisor
**	Supervisor
Minority Report	Special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Austin Powers in Goldmember	Character prosthetics supervisor
Special makeup effects artist
Vampires: Los Muertos	Special makeup effects supervisor
**	Special makeup effects artist
Murder by Numbers	Supervisor
Bubba Ho-tep	Special effects makeup supervisor
Cabin Fever	Special makeup effects supervisor
Hulk	Animatronics effects supervisor/puppeteer
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over	Special effects makeup
**	Special effects makeup
Identity	Special makeup effects supervisor
Once Upon a Time in Mexico	Special makeup effects supervisor
Kill Bill: Volume 1	Special effects makeup supervisor
Kill Bill: Volume 2	Special makeup supervisor
Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed	Special makeup effects
Riding the Bullet	Special makeup effects supervisor
Ray	Special makeup effects supervisor
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events	Special effects supervisor
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist	Special makeup effects designer
Masters of Horror (TV series)	Special makeup effects artist
Cursed	Additional special makeup effects supervisor
Additional werewolf effects creator
Sin City	Special makeup effects supervisor
**	Special makeup effects artist, designer and creator
**	Special makeup effects artist
Land of the Dead	Special makeup effects supervisor
**	Project supervisor
Serenity	Special effects makeup supervisor
Hostel	Special makeup effects designer and creator
**	Special makeup and creatures
**	Special makeup effects designer
Poseidon	Makeup effects supervisor
Desperation (TV film)	Special makeup effects supervisor
Casino Royale	Effects supervisor
**	Special makeup supervisor
**	Special effects makeup
Comedy Hell	Special makeup designer
Dead and Deader	Additional special makeup effects
Death Proof	Special makeup effects
**	Special makeup effects designer
Hostel: Part II	Special makeup effects designer and creator
**	Supervisor: K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc.
Spider-Man 3	Special effects makeup
Disturbia	Special makeup effects supervisor
Grindhouse	Special makeup effects artist
Transformers	Animatronics supervisor/puppeteer
Underdog	Supervisor
Diary of the Dead	Special effects makeup producer
**	Creature effects
Fear Itself	Special makeup effects artist
Mirrors	Special makeup effects designer
**	Special makeup effects
Edge of Darkness	Special makeup effects
Predators	Special makeup and creature effects
** (TV miniseries)	Key special makeup effects supervisor (6 episodes)
(TV series)	Special makeup effects
Piranha 3D	Key special makeup effects supervisor
**	Makeup effects
** (short film)	Special makeup effects
** (TV film)	Special makeup and creature effects
Paul	Special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
I Am Number Four	Special makeup creator/designer
Water for Elephants	Key special makeup effects supervisor (uncredited)
Breaking Bad (TV series)	Special makeup effects (2 episodes)
**	Key special makeup effects supervisor
**	Special makeup effects
**	Key special makeup effects supervisor
Seven Psychopaths	Special make-up effects
**	Special make-up effects
Oz the Great and Powerful	Special make-up effects
**	Special makeup effects artist
Lone Survivor	Special make-up effects
Transformers: Age of Extinction	Special effects makeup supervisor
Fear The Walking Dead	Special make-up effects
**	Special make-up effects
Suicide Squad	Special make-up effects
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood	Makeup effects designer and supervisor
Twilight of the Dead	Special make-up effects

Actor

The Walking Dead
- 1.3 "Tell It to the Frogs" (uncredited) as Walker Eating Deer
- 1.4 "Vatos" (uncredited) as Walker biting Amy
- 3.9 "The Suicide King" (uncredited) as Walker in Woodbury
- 6.3 "Thank You" (uncredited) as Walker in herd
- 11.24 "Rest in Peace" (uncredited) as Walker in final scene before epilogue
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (2013) (Documentary film) as Himself
The Grey (2011) as Duke Chavis
Piranha 3D (2010) as Boat Captain
His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th (2009) (Documentary film) as Himself
Inglourious Basterds (2009) (uncredited) as Gestapo Major
Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008) as Makeup Effects Guy #3
Diary of the Dead (2008) as Zombie Surgeon
Cemetery Gates (2006) as Stoner Dude Michael
The Hills Have Eyes (2006) as Cyst
Land of the Dead (2005) as Bridgekeeper Zombie
Cursed (2005) (uncredited) as Man pushing Dracula's coffin
House on Haunted Hill (1999) (uncredited) as Rollercoaster technician
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) as Sex Machine's Buddy
The Demolitionist (1995) as Elevator Punk
Body Bags (1993) (TV) as Man with Dog
Intruder (1989) as Townie in Car
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) (uncredited) as Guy in Gas Station
Night of the Creeps (1986) (uncredited) as Extra
Day of the Dead (1985) as Johnson

Director

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2024)
- 2.01 "La Gentillesse des Étrangers"
The Walking Dead (2011–2022) (37 episodes)
- 2.11 "Judge, Jury, Executioner"
- 3.05 "Say the Word"
- 3.11 "I Ain't a Judas"
- 3.15 "This Sorrowful Life"
- 4.01 "30 Days Without an Accident"
- 4.09 "After"
- 4.15 "Us"
- 5.01 "No Sanctuary"
- 5.09 "What Happened and What's Going On"
- 5.12 "Remember"
- 5.16 "Conquer"
- 6.01 "First Time Again"
- 6.09 "No Way Out"
- 6.12 "Not Tomorrow Yet"
- 6.16 "Last Day on Earth"
- 7.01 "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be"
- 7.02 "The Well"
- 7.09 "Rock in the Road"
- 7.12 "Say Yes"
- 7.16 "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"
- 8.01 "Mercy"
- 8.03 "Monsters"
- 8.09 "Honor"
- 8.12 "The Key"
- 8.16 "Wrath"
- 9.01 "A New Beginning"
- 9.05 "What Comes After"
- 9.09 "Adaptation"
- 9.16 "The Storm"
- 10.01 "Lines We Cross"
- 10.02 "We Are the End of the World"
- 10.12 "Walk with Us"
- 10.16 "A Certain Doom"
- 11.05 "Out of the Ashes"
- 11.06 "On the Inside"
- 11.17 "Lockdown"
- 11.24 "Rest in Peace"
The Walking Dead: The Oath (2013) (3 webisodes)
The Walking Dead: Cold Storage (2012) (4 webisodes)
The Walking Dead: Torn Apart (2011) (6 webisodes)
The United Monster Talent Agency (2010) (short film)

References

Jeffries, Stuart. (2016-02-29). "God of gore: the effects legend behind Reservoir Dogs and The Walking Dead spills his secrets". The Guardian.
"Quentin Tarantino Presents Eli Roth's Hostel". Lion's Gate Films.
"Oscar Wins". Oscars.org.
Cline, Elizabeth. (July 30, 2012). "Dispatches From the Set - Special FX Makeup Artist and Co-Executive Producer Greg Nicotero". AMC.
(July 30, 2012). "Fear The Walking Dead: Special FX Makeup Artist and Co-Executive Producer Greg Nicotero". BD.
(July 30, 2012). "THE WALKING DEAD, entitled "Counter" and directed by series MVP Greg Nicotero". Fangoria.
"Greg Nicotero Interview". iconsoffright.com.
"Awards". IMDb.
"John Carpenter: Bios: KNB EFX Group". theofficialjohncarpenter.com.
(October 2012). "More on The Walking Dead: First Production Photo and Zombie School Video". DreadCentral.
(17 May 2010). "Classic Predator Featured in Special KNB Q+A in Louisville". BloodyDisgusting.
(17 September 2012). "Classic Predator to Return in Predators? Hell Yes!". DreadCentral.
(8 October 2012). "Greg Nicotero Talks The Walking Dead". DreadCentral.
"SD Comic-Con '10: Get Zombified and Catch a Sneak Peek of The Walking Dead". DreadCentral.
[http://www.amctv.com/talking-dead/videos/episode-315-on-air-highlights-talking-dead Season 3, Episode 15 Talking Dead] {{webarchive. link. (2013-03-28)
(26 March 2015). "Fear the Walking Dead". BD.
"craigwchenery".
""MythBusters" Zombie Special (TV Episode 2013)".
Ross, Dalton. (October 14, 2025). "New horror reality series Guts & Glory secretly filmed on Walking Dead sets". [[Entertainment Weekly]].

Wikipedia Source

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