About Guest

Thomas Surprenant is an award-winning special effects and makeup artist with 30 years of experience working in the film and entertainment industry. He has worked on world-renowned films and TV series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Donnie Darko, X-Men: The Last Stand, and The Cat In The Hat – but he is best known for his work on the hit franchise Star Trek.

Surprenant’s work on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine earned him three Emmy nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series in 1995. He was also part of two Academy Award-winning makeup crews for feature films Frida and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

From an early age Surprenant was fascinated by classic horror films and creature features which sparked his love for the horror and sci-fi genres. Hailing from First Nations roots – and a long line of industry creatives – imagination, art and storytelling runs in his blood. With his ties to the Indigenous Peoples of Saskatchewan, Surprenant is a strong advocate for the First Nation community. His art and designs bring the world of the supernatural to life while his techniques create a stark realism that is intrinsic to his work and style.

Surprenant has since founded his own company, Thomas Surprenant Creations, which provides makeup and special effects products to film, television and print projects. These products have been used in films like The Scorpion King, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, among many more.