Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi, Apple TV+’s science fiction series ‘For All Mankind‘ returns with its fifth season to add yet another chapter to its alternate history. In the decades since the Soviet Union beat America and became the first nation on the moon, the space race has accelerated beyond anyone’s imagination. Building off of season 4’s conclusion, this saga takes us another decade ahead, where Happy Valley is now a full-fledged colony with parks, schools, and an entirely original culture. While this timeskip displays how much progress humanity has made, it also shines a light on just how long the deeper questions about our actions have gone unanswered. Edward “Ed” Baldwin, the astronaut who started it all, is back to continue his story, this time as an 80-year-old man questioning what it truly means to leave behind a legacy.
The Prosthetic Team Goes Above and Beyond to Age Joel Kinnaman by Four Decades
Joel Kinnaman’s look as the 80-year-old Ed Baldwin in season 5 is a result of extensive makeup and prosthetic work by the team of ‘For All Mankind.’ To make the ageing effect a reality, the crew relied on the skills of the makeup effects company Autonomous FX, with artist Jason Collins taking the lead on this project. In a conversation with Radio Times, Jason detailed the exact process that went into ageing Kinnaman by almost forty years. The first step was to examine Kinnaman’s facial structure and locate the points where he was naturally ageing. Specifically, Jason found that the actor’s nasolabial folds, more commonly known as smile lines, were already pronounced, along with his cheekbones and jawline. These details helped Jason figure out a framework to show Ed’s ageing as realistically as possible.
Some of the subtler changes in Ed’s look were achieved with the help of makeup. “I built off those and created hollows in his cheeks because I know he’s going to age there,” Jason explained in the interview, adding how he avoided adding weight under the actor’s chin because of Kinnaman having a naturally lean physique. Following this, the makeup team went for a more technical approach by taking a three-dimensional scan of the actor’s face. That helped them develop what is called a hydrocal bust, or plaster mold of his face, which was then used as a base for sculpting wrinkles and other textures. Once the crew was satisfied with the results, they cut up the bust into smaller sections, each of which functions as an independent piece of prosthetics.
The Crew Used Silicone Injections to Bring the Prosthetic Molds to Life
It was Jason’s decision to use several, smaller prosthetics instead of a single face mask, as “Real skin moves, so breaking it up – the forehead, cheeks, neck wrap, chin, and so on – lets the prosthetics move naturally.” The crew began by applying the pieces to the cheeks and the neck, following which they layered up, letting the parts rest on top of each other. The key ingredient in this entire process, however, was silicone, which is usually injected into molds to make them slightly translucent. This not only gives the artificial skin a better feel but also allows it to react with light in a more realistic fashion.
While skin prosthetics are integral to making Ed’s look feel as real as possible, hair design can similarly make or break the aesthetic. Going the extra mile, Jason and his team at Autonomous FX hand-punched individual hair strands into the prosthetic hairline, allowing the scalp to be visible on screen and feel real. A little farther back from the scalp, a wig was placed to complete the look of an ageing Ed. Jason noted that the character starts losing hair in season 4 itself, which meant that the team had to accurately figure out where his hairline would be several decades later.
Kinnaman’s Look Required Three Hours of Preparation For Every Day of Shooting
Reportedly, the mold-making process itself took up a whole month, and several more weeks were spent perfecting the look. As if that isn’t challenging enough, the prosthetics had to be freshly applied at the start of every single shoot day, which meant starting at 4 in the morning for roughly 40 days straight. Jason remarked that, by the end of the production period, Kinnaman understood the entire process by heart and would even point out any errors along the way. When the actor first saw himself in the mirror with the full makeup on, he reportedly said, “This is insane! This is trippy, man!” Retaining Kinnaman’s distinct features through several layers of prosthetics was important for Jason, the latter explained, because it is ultimately the actor’s “intense, piercing eyes” that dictate his relationship with the audience.
Facial prosthetics, hair, and makeup are just one half of what really makes Ed’s look a success, as there is also a lot of physical acting involved. To nail the feel and physicality of a much older Ed, it is likely that Kinnaman altered his entire walking style, slowing it down and making the moments ever-so-slightly more rigid. Additionally, the actor most likely also touched up his voice, as all of these details make us truly believe that we have been on this multi-decade journey with Ed, spanning five seasons, two planets, and a moon.
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