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About
British special makeup effects artist and prosthetic designer known for being the founder of the makeup effects studio BGFX Ltd along with designing some of modern television's most iconic creatures and transformations working on shows such as Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, The Last of Us, The Witcher, and Chernobyl. He is also known for his Instagram account @barriegower where he shares behind-the-scenes looks at sculpting, mold-making, silicone appliances, and finished creature designs with over 170,000 followers.
Before fame
He grew up surrounded by cinema. His father managed a local movie theater which gave him early exposure to films and sparked his fascination with special effects. He became obsessed at a young age with movie monsters, prosthetics, and transformation makeup and studied how characters were built and brought to life. He pursued this passion formally by enrolling at the London College of Fashion where he earned an HND in Specialist Make-up. He entered the film industry in 1996 and began his professional career in the BBC Visual Effects Department. He joined the makeup effects team in 1997 for Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan which was his first major feature film. He founded BGFX Ltd in 2010.
Trivia
He helped define the look of Vecna on Stranger Things. He won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for prosthetic makeup including recognition for Game of Thrones and The Last of Us.
Family life
He is from England. He is married to Sarah Gower who is also a makeup effects artist and a key collaborator on many of his projects. They have children together but keep details of their children's lives private.
Associated with
He designed the prosthetic look worn by actor Jamie Campbell Bower for the villain Vecna on Stranger Things.
