Hours in make-up create alien

Press, 18 December 1989, Page 10

Hours in make-up create alien

It takes several hours to transform former beauty queen, Jane Badler, into the reptilian alien leader, Diana, in the science fiction thriller, “V.” (tonight 7.30, on Three). Veteran make-up artist Leo Lotito and a team of six make-up artists complete the effect for each scene and if a scene has to be reshot Badler must be remade up. “We are using a very involved, and complicated make-up process in order to reveal the faces of the

seemingly friendly visitors,” Lotito explains. “Layers of foam latex prosthetics are applied to the actors so that when the outside human skin is pulled off, it reveals the reptilian prosthetics underneath.” But, the transformation Badler makes into Diana is not only “skin” deep. She also has to change into a ruthless, powerdriven leader of an alien invasion force. “There really isn’t any part of Diana that slips

into my personality but I wish it would sometime,” Badler explains. “It would be nice to have the strength of knowing what you want and just going for it on your own. “Diana knows what she wants in life and goes after it like a horse with blinders. I have more conflicts in my life. I have a lot of different needs, for love and affection.” However, Badler believes Diana sends out positive messages to women — that they can

be strong and do not have to live for a man. Playing the relentless Diana is a real change for Badler who previously played vulnerable women. In America she is best known for her roles on soap operas “One Life To Live” and “The Doctors.” Badler landed the part of Diana after auditioning for the female lead in “The A-Team.” She didn’t get the part but she impressed the right people who later asked her to audition for “V.”