Gregory Nicotero

Gregory Nicotero (born March 15, 1963) is an American special make-up effects creator, television producer, and director. His first major job in special effects makeup was on the George A. Romero film Day of the Dead, under the tutelage of Romero and make-up effects veteran Tom Savini.

In 1988, along with Robert Kurtzman and Howard Berger, he formed KNB EFX Group, a special make-up effects studio which has gone on to work on over 400 film and television projects. KNB has won numerous awards, including an Emmy Award in 2001 for their work on the 2000 Sci Fi Channel miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and an Academy Award in 2006 for achievement in makeup for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

He served as an senior producer/executive producer, special make-up effects supervisor, and primary director on the AMC TV series The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. Nicotero has directed 37 episodes of The Walking Dead and is the creator of the webseries The Walking Dead: Webisodes.

Life and career

Nicotero claims he began taking an interest in special effects after viewing the film Jaws. He explains: "I kept thinking 'How the hell did they do that?! How'd they build a big giant shark that could eat people?!' So, between that movie, The Exorcist, Planet of the Apes, and of course all of the Universal horror movies [...] I think Jaws and then later Dawn of the Dead were pretty much the two movies that did it for me." Nicotero began his career working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, learning the trade of special make-up effects, also known as prosthetic makeup, from Tom Savini, an award-winning special effects and makeup artist, and helping on films by director George A. Romero.

While working on the 1985 Romero film Day of the Dead, he met Howard Berger, who would become one of his partners at KNB EFX Group. Nicotero relocated to Hollywood and moved in with Berger and Robert Kurtzman.

He later worked as FX artist on the 2010 film Predators and created a classic predator figure for the film.

Nicotero worked as special make-up effects supervisor, co-executive producer and occasional director for the TV series The Walking Dead, as well as acting in a few uncredited cameos. He was at San Diego Comic-Con for the show. He was a guest on Talking Dead on March 24, 2013, October 12, 2014, February 8, 2015, and February 14, 2016. He also supervises the make-up effects for Fear the Walking Dead.

In 2011, Nicotero was interviewed for the 2012 zombie special effects book "Blood Splatter: A Guide to Cinematic Zombie Violence, Gore and Special Effects" by author Craig W. Chenery.

He was a guest on the MythBusters Zombie Special on October 17, 2013.

He designed a Leatherface skin for the 2023 game - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre that bears his name, known as "Nicotero Leatherface". It was released October 24, 2023.

In 2025, Nicotero developed and hosted the reality television show Guts & Glory on Shudder.

Filmography + Film performances Year Title Notes 1985 Day of the Dead Special makeup effects artist 1985 Invasion U.S.A. Additional special effects makeup 1987 Creepshow 2 Special effects 1987 Predator Creature effects crew 1987 Evil Dead II Special makeup effects unit crew 1988 Phantasm II Special makeup effects constructor and special effects crew 1988 Monkey Shines Special Makeup Effects Artist 1989 Special effects 1989 Intruder Special Makeup Effects Artist 1989 DeepStar Six Creature supervisor 1989 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers Special effects supervisor 1990 Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III Makeup artist 1990 Tales from the Darkside: The Movie Special makeup effects supervisor 1990 Bride of Re-Animator Special makeup effects artist 1990 Misery Special makeup effects artist 1990 Dances with Wolves Buffalo effects supervisor 1991 Special makeup effects supervisor 1992 Army of Darkness Special makeup effects 1993 Body Bags (TV film) Special makeup effects 1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Effects supervisor and special makeup effects artist 1993 Doppelganger Special makeup effects 1994 Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings Special makeup effects supervisor 1994 Pulp Fiction Special makeup supervisor 1994 Wes Craven's New Nightmare Special makeup effects 1995 Vampire in Brooklyn Special makeup effects: puppeteer 1995 In the Mouth of Madness Special makeup effects 1995 Lord of Illusions Special makeup effects supervisor 1996 Eraser Animatronic crocodiles supervisor 1996 From Dusk till Dawn Makeup effects supervisor 1996 Scream Special makeup effects supervisor 1996 Jingle All the Way Turboman costume and special makeup effects 1996 Black Sheep Puppeteer 1997 Spawn Animatronic creature and special makeup effects 1997 Boogie Nights Special makeup effects supervisor 1997 Wishmaster Special makeup effects 1997 Scream 2 Special makeup effects supervisor 1998 Vampires Special makeup effects 1998 Very Bad Things Supervisor 1998 Special makeup and creature effects 1999 Special makeup effects supervisor 1999 Special makeup effects supervisor 1999 House on Haunted Hill Special makeup effects 2000 Little Nicky Special makeup and creature effects supervisor 2000 Frank Herbert's Dune (TV miniseries) Lead special effects supervisor 2000 Prosthetics and special makeup effects supervisor 2000 Unbreakable Special makeup effects supervisor 2001 Spy Kids Makeup effects supervisor and creature effects 2001 Special makeup effects artist 2001 Mulholland Drive Special makeup effects artist 2001 Ghosts of Mars Special makeup effects artist 2001 Thirteen Ghosts Special makeup effects artist and supervisor 2001 Vanilla Sky Special makeup effects supervisor 2001 Evolution Supervisor 2002 Supervisor 2002 Minority Report Special makeup effects artist 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Character prosthetics supervisorSpecial makeup effects artist 2002 Vampires: Los Muertos Special makeup effects supervisor 2002 Special makeup effects artist 2002 Murder by Numbers Supervisor 2002 Bubba Ho-tep Special effects makeup supervisor 2003 Cabin Fever Special makeup effects supervisor 2003 Hulk Animatronics effects supervisor/puppeteer 2003 Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Special effects makeup 2003 Special effects makeup 2003 Identity Special makeup effects supervisor 2003 Once Upon a Time in Mexico Special makeup effects supervisor 2003 Kill Bill: Volume 1 Special effects makeup supervisor 2004 Kill Bill: Volume 2 Special makeup supervisor 2004 Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed Special makeup effects 2004 Riding the Bullet Special makeup effects supervisor 2004 Ray Special makeup effects supervisor 2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Special effects supervisor 2005 Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist Special makeup effects designer 2005–2007 Masters of Horror (TV series) Special makeup effects artist 2005 Cursed Additional special makeup effects supervisorAdditional werewolf effects creator 2005 Sin City Special makeup effects supervisor 2005 Special makeup effects artist, designer and creator 2005 Special makeup effects artist 2005 Land of the Dead Special makeup effects supervisor 2005 Project supervisor 2005 Serenity Special effects makeup supervisor 2005 Hostel Special makeup effects designer and creator 2005 Special makeup and creatures 2006 Special makeup effects designer 2006 Poseidon Makeup effects supervisor 2006 Desperation (TV film) Special makeup effects supervisor 2006 Casino Royale Effects supervisor 2006 Special makeup supervisor 2006 Special effects makeup 2006 Comedy Hell Special makeup designer 2006 Dead and Deader Additional special makeup effects 2007 Death Proof Special makeup effects 2007 Special makeup effects designer 2007 Hostel: Part II Special makeup effects designer and creator 2007 Supervisor: K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc. 2007 Spider-Man 3 Special effects makeup 2007 Disturbia Special makeup effects supervisor 2007 Grindhouse Special makeup effects artist 2007 Transformers Animatronics supervisor/puppeteer 2007 Underdog Supervisor 2007 Diary of the Dead Special effects makeup producer 2007 Creature effects 2008 Fear Itself Special makeup effects artist 2008 Mirrors Special makeup effects designer 2010 Special makeup effects 2010 Edge of Darkness Special makeup effects 2010 Predators Special makeup and creature effects 2010 (TV miniseries) Key special makeup effects supervisor 2010–2022 (TV series) Special makeup effects 2010 Piranha 3D Key special makeup effects supervisor 2010 Makeup effects 2010 (short film) Special makeup effects 2011 (TV film) Special makeup and creature effects 2011 Paul Special makeup effects artist 2011 I Am Number Four Special makeup creator/designer 2011 Water for Elephants Key special makeup effects supervisor 2011–2012 Breaking Bad (TV series) Special makeup effects 2011 Key special makeup effects supervisor 2012 Special makeup effects 2012 Key special makeup effects supervisor 2012 Seven Psychopaths Special make-up effects 2012 Special make-up effects 2013 Oz the Great and Powerful Special make-up effects 2013 Special makeup effects artist 2013 Lone Survivor Special make-up effects 2014 Transformers: Age of Extinction Special effects makeup supervisor 2015 Fear The Walking Dead Special make-up effects 2015 Special make-up effects 2016 Suicide Squad Special make-up effects 2019 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Makeup effects designer and supervisor TBA Twilight of the Dead Special make-up effects

Actor The Walking Dead 1.3 "Tell It to the Frogs" (uncredited) as Walker Eating Deer 1.4 "Vatos" (uncredited) as Walker biting Amy 3.9 "The Suicide King" (uncredited) as Walker in Woodbury 6.3 "Thank You" (uncredited) as Walker in herd 11.24 "Rest in Peace" (uncredited) as Walker in final scene before epilogue Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (2013) (Documentary film) as Himself The Grey (2011) as Duke Chavis Piranha 3D (2010) as Boat Captain His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th (2009) (Documentary film) as Himself Inglourious Basterds (2009) (uncredited) as Gestapo Major Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008) as Makeup Effects Guy #3 Diary of the Dead (2008) as Zombie Surgeon Cemetery Gates (2006) as Stoner Dude Michael The Hills Have Eyes (2006) as Cyst Land of the Dead (2005) as Bridgekeeper Zombie Cursed (2005) (uncredited) as Man pushing Dracula's coffin House on Haunted Hill (1999) (uncredited) as Rollercoaster technician From Dusk till Dawn (1996) as Sex Machine's Buddy The Demolitionist (1995) as Elevator Punk Body Bags (1993) (TV) as Man with Dog Intruder (1989) as Townie in Car Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) (uncredited) as Guy in Gas Station Night of the Creeps (1986) (uncredited) as Extra Day of the Dead (1985) as Johnson

Director The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2024) 2.01 "La Gentillesse des Étrangers" The Walking Dead (2011–2022) (37 episodes) 2.11 "Judge, Jury, Executioner" 3.05 "Say the Word" 3.11 "I Ain't a Judas" 3.15 "This Sorrowful Life" 4.01 "30 Days Without an Accident" 4.09 "After" 4.15 "Us" 5.01 "No Sanctuary" 5.09 "What Happened and What's Going On" 5.12 "Remember" 5.16 "Conquer" 6.01 "First Time Again" 6.09 "No Way Out" 6.12 "Not Tomorrow Yet" 6.16 "Last Day on Earth" 7.01 "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" 7.02 "The Well" 7.09 "Rock in the Road" 7.12 "Say Yes" 7.16 "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" 8.01 "Mercy" 8.03 "Monsters" 8.09 "Honor" 8.12 "The Key" 8.16 "Wrath" 9.01 "A New Beginning" 9.05 "What Comes After" 9.09 "Adaptation" 9.16 "The Storm" 10.01 "Lines We Cross" 10.02 "We Are the End of the World" 10.12 "Walk with Us" 10.16 "A Certain Doom" 11.05 "Out of the Ashes" 11.06 "On the Inside" 11.17 "Lockdown" 11.24 "Rest in Peace" The Walking Dead: The Oath (2013) (3 webisodes) The Walking Dead: Cold Storage (2012) (4 webisodes) The Walking Dead: Torn Apart (2011) (6 webisodes) The United Monster Talent Agency (2010) (short film)