The Westmores legacy of the greatest make up artists has been known for decades where there was a Westmore brother in every major film, even one about Queen Elizabeth.
Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex is a drama and romance genre film about Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex and the battle for her desire to marry him or save England.
The Make Up
Bette Davies who played Queen Elizabeth in the film, underwent a drastic transformation in her appearance with the help of her make up artist Perc Westmore. The film featured an older version of Queen Elizbeth which meant that the youthful features of Betty had to be covered up making her hair, skin, eyebrows etc. similar to Elizabeths.
As Elizabeth aged due to use of unhealthy products on her hair and skin it caused her major hair loss. The first transformation Bette had to go through was having her hairline shaved back three inches alongside having her eyebrows shaved off completely replacing with a thin drawn on pencil to create Elizabeth like thin eyebrows. Her lips were also thinned out and she was given a white pasty complexion which made her look perfectly Elizabethan.
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| Perc Westmore did an amazing job at making Bette look similar to Queen Elizabeth. Although so many features were fakes such as thinning her lips and making her look older and more wrinkly it looks very natural. He was able to not only change Bettes appearance but he was also able to give her the personality of Elizabeth through the power of Make Up. |
Reference :
Photo : Federigo Zuccaro, (1857), The Darnley Portrait [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/queen_elizabeth_gallery.htm [Accessed 04 December 14].
Website : http://tommenterprises.tripod.com/id201.html
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1142171-private_lives_of_elizabeth_and_essex/
Book: Frank Westmore and Muriel Davidson (1976). The Westmores of Hollywood. United States Of America: westmore. 122.
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