Nick Maley | |
|---|---|
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| Occupation | Special effects make-up artist |
| Known for | Star Wars film series |
| Website | nickmaley |
Nick Maley is a special effectsmake-up artist known for his work onYoda in theStar Wars film series. He has worked on a total of 53 films includingSuperman,Highlander, andKrull. He is sometimes referred to as "That Yoda Guy” for his work on the creation of Yoda forStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back.[1] He was nominated for anEmmy Award for his work on the 1982 filmThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.[2] He now operates the “That Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit” (formerly called “Planet Paradise”) on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean. His museum houses many pieces of movie memorabilia spanning almost nine decades of film. He uses his museum as a front for his non-profit foundation, encouraging kids to follow their dreams.
Maley became interested in film at an early age. His father was an actor and he watched makeup artists back stage while growing up. In his earlier years, he worked on school plays where he did the makeup for the actors.[1]
Some of Maley's earliest work includes the 1970 version ofJulius Caesar withCharlton Heston. He later metStuart Freeborn who hired Maley for the original Star Wars film, helping make Yoda's head, hands, and feet.[1] Maley also worked with Freeborn and others on various creatures that made up theCantina scene for the film.[3] He also worked onThe Empire Strikes Back, which he described as his favorite movie to work on.[1] He is also a writer, creating the screenplay for the 1981 filmInseminoid. He created the script in four days along with his wife Gloria, also supplying the makeup for the characters in the film.[4]
Maley is originally from London but moved toSint Maarten in 2007 with his wife Gloria, and opening the Planet Paradise movie exhibit.[3] The exhibit features versions of various Star Wars characters and other memorabilia from his work in the film industry.[1] He is also an artist and painter whose works have been featured across 18 different countries in museums and galleries.[5]
Maley was honored byLucasfilm in 2016.[6] The same year he also rebuilt a replica Yoda using the same principles as the original.[7]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Star Wars: A New Hope | Makeup artist |
| 1978 | Superman | Makeup artist[8] |
| 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | Makeup artist (Yoda) |
| 1980 | Superman II | Makeup artist |
| 1981 | Inseminoid | Screenwriter, makeup artist[9] |
| 1983 | The Keep | Makeup artist |
| 1985 | Lifeforce | Makeup artist |
| 1986 | Highlander | Makeup artist[10] |
| International | |
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| National | |
