Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
IMDbPro

Michael Spatola

  • Make-up Department
  • Special Effects
  • Art Department
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Michael Spatola is a make-up artist with over 35 years professional experience. Although he's flown under the radar for most of his career, he's actually been nominated by his peers twice for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Make-up EMMY Awards, and twice for Best Make-up Cable ACE Awards. Mike's worked on all types of budgets and films from "Return of the Living Dead" to "Stargate" to "Terminator 2" to "Iron Man 3" and is probably best known for being the Make-up Effects Supervisor for a few seasons of HBO's "Tales From The Crypt." Before his "Hollywood" career, Mike cranked out monster make-ups, day in and day out at The Brigantine Castle- a 5 story haunted castle amusement in Brigantine, New Jersey. After 6 years of the haunted house business, it was time to move to Hollywood.

You'll find that Mike's a skilled instructor. He's a teacher with the ability to explain techniques and methods so they are extremely easy to understand. Currently, you can find Mike at Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles. There he serves as the Chief Academic Officer and lead instructor.
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 3 nominations total

    Known for

    Leviathan (1989)
    Leviathan
    5.8
    • Special Effects(as Mike Spatola)
    • 1989
    Stargate (1994)
    Stargate
    7.0
    • Special Effects
    • 1994
    Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Pantellas in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day
    8.6
    • Special Effects
    • 1991
    The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
    The Return of the Living Dead
    7.3
    • Makeup Department
    • 1985

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Makeup Department



    • Calum Worthy, Joel Courtney, and Andi Matichak in Assimilate (2019)
      Assimilate
      5.3
      • special makeup effects designer
      • 2019
    • Jennifer Tung, J. Michael Trautmann, Kyle Leatherberry, Chan Redfield, Emeline, Tim C. Szabics, and Jason Jonas Gonzalez in Remember the Sun (2017)
      Remember the Sun
      Short
      • makeup department head
      • 2017
    • Dependent's Day inspired art by Chang Liu. A film by Michael David Lynch starring Joe Burke, Lisa Ann Walter, Benita Robledo, Shannon Lucio, Josh Staman, Erin Pineda, Todd Bridges and Brian George.
      Dependent's Day
      6.2
      • makeup artist
      • 2016
    • Harbinger Down (2015)
      Harbinger Down
      4.6
      • makeup department head
      • makeup effects application artist (as Mike Spatola, as Mike Spatola)
      • 2015
    • Evil Mutant Doctors Hungry For Boobs!
      Zomboobies!
      6.5
      • makeup department head
      • special makeup effects supervisor
      • 2014
    • Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, and Paul Bettany in Iron Man 3 (2013)
      Iron Man 3
      7.1
      • special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
      • 2013
    • Tom Amandes and Lea Coco in Saving Lincoln (2013)
      Saving Lincoln
      5.6
      • key makeup artist
      • 2013
    • Facejacker (2010)
      Facejacker
      7.8
      TV Series
      • prosthetic makeup assistant
      • 2012
    • Andy Garcia in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)
      Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
      6.7
      • prosthetic makeup artist
      • 1995
    • Cheech Marin and Jimmy Smits in The Cisco Kid (1994)
      The Cisco Kid
      5.7
      TV Movie
      • makeup artist
      • 1994
    • Gettysburg (1993)
      Gettysburg
      7.6
      • key makeup artist
      • 1993
    • And the Band Played On (1993)
      And the Band Played On
      7.8
      TV Movie
      • additional makeup artist
      • 1993
    • Tales from the Crypt (1989)
      Tales from the Crypt
      8.0
      TV Series
      • special makeup effects artist (as Mike Spatola)
      • 1991–1992
    • Predator 2 (1990)
      Predator 2
      6.3
      • special makeup effects artist
      • 1990
    • Jeffrey Combs and Kathleen Kinmont in Bride of Re-Animator (1990)
      Bride of Re-Animator
      6.2
      • makeup effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
      • 1990

    Special Effects



    • Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street (2012)
      21 Jump Street
      7.2
      • makeup effects contractor (uncredited)
      • 2012
    • Stargate (1994)
      Stargate
      7.0
      • creature art department
      • 1994
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Pantellas in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
      Terminator 2: Judgment Day
      8.6
      • art department: Stan Winston Studio
      • 1991
    • Marc Singer and Kari Wuhrer in Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991)
      Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time
      4.2
      • lead sculptor: Makeup Effects Laboratories makeup and creature effects unit
      • 1991
    • Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands (1990)
      Edward Scissorhands
      7.8
      • art department: Stan Winston Studio
      • 1990
    • Tales from the Crypt (1989)
      Tales from the Crypt
      8.0
      TV Series
      • special effects makeup
      • 1990
    • Kevin Bacon, Finn Carter, and Fred Ward in Tremors (1990)
      Tremors
      7.2
      • creature effects: art crew
      • 1990
    • Leviathan (1989)
      Leviathan
      5.8
      • creature effects crew (as Mike Spatola)
      • 1989
    • House (1985)
      House
      6.1
      • creature effects crew: Backwood Films
      • 1985

    Art Department



    • Jason Segel and Emily Blunt in The Five-Year Engagement (2012)
      The Five-Year Engagement
      6.2
      • special props maker
      • 2012

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Personal details

    • Official site
      • The Monstrous Makeup Manual
    • Alternative name
      • Mike Spatola
    • Other works
      Book: "The Monstrous Makeup Manual, Book 1". Author

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.