Transcript

Daniel Tosh (0:00)

This episode of Tosh show is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it@progressive.com, progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

Commercial Announcer (0:30)

Looking for the best place to shop this Mother's Day? Go with the brand. That makes it easy to send something thoughtful to everyone on your list. 1-800-flowers.com right now at 1-800-flowers. Order one dozen roses and get another dozen free. More flowers mean more smiles. All backed by the quality, attention to detail and trusted delivery experience that make 1-800-flowers my top choice to send something beautiful mom will love. Make Mom's Day at 1-800-FLowers.COM podcast. That's 1-800-FLowers. COM podcast.

Daniel Tosh (1:00)

Which are you more proud of, winning an Emmy or losing an Oscar. Toss show? Hey, welcome to Tosh Show. I want to thank all the sponsors, the national and the international ones. I want to thank Eddie for being here.

Eddie (1:23)

You're welcome. Thank you.

Daniel Tosh (1:24)

You're welcome.

Eddie (1:24)

Thanks for having me.

Daniel Tosh (1:25)

Yep, my daughter has been sick. She had a fever. So yesterday, instead of her normal routine of going to preschool, I just held her. I just held her for the whole day. And I know it sounds cliche, but it was the greatest day ever. Just held her all day long. She just wanted to be held. She was just so sad. And I'm like, I get Munchausen syndrome now. Yeah, I get why people do. Once they get clingy and needy. There's something adorable about it. She said to me, I don't want to have any food. I said, oh, you don't have to eat if you're not hungry today. And. And she goes, I just want you to hold me. And I don't want any food. And I'm like, done and done.

Eddie (2:09)

Perfect.

Daniel Tosh (2:10)

That was the best day ever. That's all you want from a woman.

Eddie (2:15)

No food and just hold.

Daniel Tosh (2:16)

Okay. I didn't need to say that. That was. That was a. That was a joke. And I don't think that the holding party. Your legs go to sleep. Yeah, it's funny. Even a 25 pounder will put your legs to sleep after a while.

Summary

Tosh Show Podcast Summary

Episode: "My Oscar-Nominated FX Makeup Artist | How Mike Marino Crafts Hollywood's Most Insane Transformations"

Host: Daniel Tosh
Guest: Mike Marino (Award-winning special effects makeup artist)
Release Date: April 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This lively and irreverent episode of Tosh Show welcomes Mike Marino, a top-tier Hollywood special effects makeup artist with credits spanning SNL, The Batman, The Irishman, and Heidi Klum’s iconic Halloween transformations. Daniel Tosh dives into Marino’s origin story, his process for creating jaw-dropping movie magic, the artist’s unexpected detours and influences, and the reality behind life as an FX makeup artist for the stars. Their conversation is filled with playful banter, industry insights, behind-the-scenes tales, and, true to Tosh’s form, plenty of offbeat humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mike Marino's Backstory & Inspiration

Formative Influence: Marino recalls how seeing The Elephant Man and Michael Jackson’s Thriller (with Rick Baker’s makeup tutorials on MTV) as a child sparked his obsession. (“I was totally obsessed with it. ... I taped it and watched it over and over and over again.” [12:46])
Self-Taught Path: Before YouTube, Marino essentially taught himself via VHS tapes, library books, and experimenting with friends.
Mentorship: Wrote to legendary makeup artist Dick Smith (The Exorcist, The Godfather), who responded with a personal postcard and invited review [13:38].
Early Career: First real industry experience was at SNL, after working at Mehron Makeup (a local clown-makeup factory) [15:02].

2. Breaking Into Hollywood FX

No Agents—Pure Reputation: “I don't have an agent. I have a PR person... I think people know my work now and they just kind of reach out.” [20:02]
From SNL to Blockbusters: After SNL, Marino never looked back, piling up credits on high-profile films and shows.
Craft Over Glam: Marino rejects the beauty industry side: “I never really did any traditional makeup. More of like a sculptor and artist, you know, as opposed to beauty makeup.” [20:19]

3. The Art & Science of Prosthetic Makeup

Biggest Challenge: Realism trumps fantasy. “A realistic makeup is really hard to do because people know what that looks like... A novice could see that it's fake if it doesn't look good.” [20:41]
Penguin Transformation: He radically altered Colin Farrell into the Penguin for The Batman and its spinoff (“when he came on set for the first time, no one knew who it was, at all.” [21:39])
Process & Tests: Test makeups are crucial. Director Matt Reeves was shocked by Marino’s proof-of-concept photos ("Wait a minute, this is Colin… Shit, that's Colin!”) [22:02].
Time in the Chair: Transformations like Farrell's require about 2.5 hours per day, with subtle differences inevitable. [24:18]

“My initial kind of idea of what he should look like was used in the film... It was like Colin’s voice changed, his personality changed, his walk, everything. It was like, crazy.”
— Mike Marino on transforming Colin Farrell [22:54]

4. Behind-the-Scenes Realities & Hollywood Tales

Life in the Chair: Marino often becomes a confidant or therapist for actors — “a psychologist in some weird way...” [29:31]
Actor Relationships: He demurs when Tosh asks if he’s ever dated a client. (“I don't. I don't. I don't know.” [30:02])
On-set Stress: Not afraid to stand up for himself. Nearly fought Mickey Rourke on-set for The Wrestler (“I will fight you. I don't care." [37:54])
Halloween with Heidi Klum: Sometimes he pitches, sometimes she does. “Sometimes she has an idea, sometimes I have an idea, and, like, what's the coolest thing you could think?” [27:35]
Pranks & Early Jackass: He and friends once used FX makeup to prank people in the 90s (“early jackass stuff”) [31:34]
Fat Suits & Movie Magic: Discussed building fat suits for The Whale, blending practical effects with digital sculpting, editing, and camera trickery [49:23].

5. Industry Trends & Technical Insights

Materials: Evolution from foam latex to modern, translucent silicone; silicone gives unparalleled realism for closeups, while foam is still used for bodysuits. [47:32]
Mask-Making: Now does most work with prosthetic pieces, not full masks, and uses 3D scanning over old-school life-casting (with wild stories of life-casting Beetlejuice from Stern’s show). [51:36]
Saving Their Work: Prosthetics are rarely salvageable; they’re often trash after use (“My dumpsters have been filled with weird shit. You know, just dead bodies aren't body parts and craziness.” [52:26])
Controlling the Character: Unlike George Lucas or Rob Bottin (who secured toy rights for Robocop), Mike doesn’t own characters he creates and that’s rare today [54:30].

6. Entertainment Preferences & Philosophies

Favorite Genre: Not wedded to horror, just wants “something good.” [23:29]
Classic Film Loves: Robocop, The Thing, The Fly, and Amadeus (noting its Oscar-winning old age makeup by Dick Smith). [33:55, 34:07]
Awards View: “Giving an award to an artist, that’s awesome, but it’s petty and competitive and stupid, and I don’t really care.” [40:45]

7. Personal Habits & Work-Life Balance

Workaholic: Struggles with downtime after decades of hustle. (“You forget how to live. It's a weird thing... How do you cut it off?” [36:57])
Sleep: Gets about 5 hours a night — “not enough.” [36:49]
Fitness: Tries to work out when he can. [39:43]
Tattoos: Covered in ink from two decades ago, done by famed artist Anil Gupta; hasn't gotten new ones in years. [40:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“I’m kind of like a psychologist in some weird way, because I’m with that actor more than anyone on the movie.”
— Mike Marino on the makeup-artist/actor dynamic [29:31]

“Someone talks to you, down to you like that, and is aggressive to you, I’m not gonna put up with it.”
— Mike Marino on on-set conflict [39:24]

Daniel Tosh (joking):
“Why not just hire somebody hideous? ...instead of this good-looking movie star?” [22:56]

Marino on ‘Penguin’:
“You take someone so recognizable... and you change his identity so much...when he came on set for the first time, no one knew who it was at all.” [21:39]

On gear-tinkering Trump’s look:
“He’s kind of like Pennywise.” [49:14]

On keeping prosthetics:
“My dumpsters have been filled with weird shit. You know, just dead bodies, body parts and craziness.” [52:26]

On special effects vs. CGI:
“A novice could see that it’s fake if it doesn’t look good.” [20:41]

Timestamps for Key Segments

Opening & Family Banter: [01:00 – 09:43]
Tosh talks about sick kids, family camping, scary stories, and sets up the guest.
Mike Marino Joins & Life as a Child FX Fanatic: [09:43 – 15:51]
Learning from Legends, SNL, and Early Career: [13:38 – 16:08]
Hollywood Work and the Penguin: [20:02 – 24:44]
Process of Character Creation and Set Stories: [24:44 – 35:47]
Movie Fandom, Watching While In-the-Biz: [33:55 – 36:10]
Sleep, Stress, and On-Set Drama: [36:49 – 39:44]
Industry Materials (Foam, Latex, Silicone): [47:32 – 48:23]
Masks, 3D Scanning, and the Beetlejuice Mold Story: [51:36]
Ownership of Characters and Industry Rights: [54:00 – 55:19]
Awards and Artistic Recognition: [40:45 – 41:44]
Rapid-fire and Tangents (Tattoos, Colonoscopies, Pranks): [39:44 – 44:41]

Additional Highlights & Fun

Ghost Stories and Campfire Humor: Marino and Tosh trade child-hood supernatural stories and ghost pranking tactics. [09:58 – 12:06]
Banter about Blackface, Jiminy Glick, and Comedy Traditions: [32:30 – 33:02]
Discussion of Prank Makeups, Real-Life Prosthetic Gags: Marino reminisces about turning friends into old men and causing public mischief—a precursor to Jackass [31:33].
Conversations About AI, Digital De-aging, and the Future of FX: [32:03 – 32:25]

Conclusion

The episode presents a colorful peek into the world of special effects makeup: its painstaking artistry, the hidden psychology in the makeup chair, and the creative satisfaction (and sometimes rebellion) of building icons from scratch. Marino reveals himself as a fiercely independent, hands-on craftsman who’s managed a lifelong fascination into a Hollywood career—without Hollywood pretension. Daniel Tosh's comedic tone, provocative questions, and relentless tangents keep the discussion both engaging and irreverently honest.

Recommended Segments:

Penguin/Colin Farrell Transformation: [21:00 – 24:44]
SNL and Dick Smith mentorship: [13:38 – 15:24]
On-set drama/stress and Mickey Rourke story: [37:22 – 39:04]
Old-school vs. new-school FX (materials, life casting): [47:32 – 52:04]
Philosophy on the Oscars and artistic recognition: [40:45 – 41:44]

Daniel Tosh, closing the episode:

“He just taught himself how to do something. And now he's—now he's just out, you know, fighting celebrities, living his life. Don't mess with him. Right?” [56:11]