Vampires are supposed to look sleek, seductive and svelte, or so figured Gino Acevedo, senior prosthetics supervisor of New Zealand’s Weta Workshop. So he was dismayed when director David Slade chose actor Danny Huston (“Children of Men,†“The Constant Gardenerâ€) to play the lead vampire, Marlow, in Sony Pictures’ “30 Days of Night,†which opened No. 1 at the box office last weekend. “I didn’t see Marlow that way,†Acevedo says. “Sorry, Danny!†Acevedo requested a more sinister “canvasâ€; Slade insisted on the best actor. Here’s how they both got what they wanted.
--
A crew cut sharpened HustonÂ’s oval face. Slade, special makeup effects supervisor Davina Lamont, department head Jane OÂ’Kane, lead prosthetics technician Bill Hunt and Acevedo worked to create creepiness. (Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images)