The Rivals Make-Up and Hair Design team, led by Jill Sweeney, and consisting of AUB alumna Natalie Allan, along with colleagues Abi Brotherton, Tiffany Pierre, Franziska Roesslhuber, and Martine Watkins, won the BAFTA Television Craft Award for Make-Up and Hair Design.
The BAFTA Television Craft Awards celebrate the behind-the-scenes talent in British television. The ceremony, hosted by Stacey Dooley, honoured achievements from the 2024 television year.
Rivals, a period comedy-drama television series adapted from the 1988 novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, stars an ensemble cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer.
We caught up with BA (Hons) Make-up for Media and Performance graduate Natalie on all things Rivals and her incredible journey from AUB to the BAFTAs…
Let’s start with the big news – how does it feel to be a BAFTA winner?
“Honestly, I still can’t believe it! Even the news of us being nominated was extremely exciting and emotional, never mind us winning it! We’re still on cloud nine! It’s very rewarding seeing our names as award-winners; and the goosebumps I get from having the BAFTA on the mantelpiece every day is something I could’ve only dreamed of!
“The timing of winning the BAFTA while prepping for Rivals Series Two was both a confidence boost and an adrenaline kick knowing that all our hard work had paid off and it drove us even more for the new series ahead!”
Can you tell us what the awards were like? Who you met, the vibe, any goss, how glam was it, etc.
“When you’re nominated for a BAFTA, you get invited to a nominee party, which is a separate event with all the BAFTA nominees, including the actors! This was very glam, with press and interviews and fancy drinks, it was an exciting and glamorous experience to be a part of, especially when we always say there’s no glamour in filming!
“The Craft Awards were similarly set up but with nominated creatives only, which was really lovely and made for a more chilled environment with us all dressed up to the nines; it was like going to prom! It was amazing and exciting to be standing alongside inspirational make-up artists and designers whose work I have been following for years.
“The ceremony was ambient and theatrical – full of round tables laid for dinner. Rivals had three tables due to three nominations, which was so cool to be a part of. Watching so many of the award-winners before us was a surreal experience and we were just so glad to be there – we never thought we would actually win!
“When they announced the nominations for Make-up, all six of us held hands and just took in the whole moment with butterflies. When we heard our Make-up Designer’s name called, followed by our own, the emotion got the better of me and I cried – with happy tears, of course! It was an honour standing on the stage behind Jill as she did her speech. Once we left the stage, we jumped up and down like we’d won a cheerleading competition!
“The press then escorted us into the lift to collect our awards while we were being videoed for reactions and emotions. At the trophy table, we signed our name for our own BAFTA and had photographs as a group and also by ourselves; we all felt like celebrities!”
"Rivals" has been a massive hit with a range of audiences and has some incredible actors in it. What’s it like to work on such a popular show?
“Rivals is my favourite show to date. The '80s glamour and the magnificent cast make this a dream job for me. When I told my mum I was doing a period production, she was absolutely shocked that I was associating the '80s as period!
“One thing I do love about the show is the vast number of skills we use, including eyelash tinting, perming, barbering, hair cutting, spray tanning, plenty of wigs and challenging back pieces and of course the wonderful '80s colour palette for the make-up. I’m very fortunate to look after Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack) on both Series One and Two. Both are a dream to look after – we do have a giggle!
“The show is very fast-paced with long hours and big cast numbers. The principal make-up team this year consists of nine make-up artists, along with a separate crowd team. We do have fun with all the outrageous hair and costumes and the raunchy sex scenes!"
Aside from "Rivals", your credits list is very impressive! Can you share your journey from graduating AUB to working on these massive hits?
“When I graduated from AUB, I had such an extensive portfolio from all the collaborations I’d been involved in, it was really beneficial in presenting myself and my work in interviews.
“I first started out on Coronation Street for a one-year contract. Corrie is such a well-oiled machine and turns out scenes and filming very quickly, so it was great for getting up to speed and for my confidence as I was working on different ages, skin types and diversities.
“After Corrie, I worked on a couple of real-life dramas, which were rewarding in recreating real people’s stories and looks, and delivering their story through authenticity.
“At AUB, I specialised in theatre, and since I’d already got into TV, I decided theatre was something I also had a passion for. I was lucky enough to start on La Cage aux Folles where I worked on more than 60 wigs and carried onto the next production with the same company where I was the Head of Department on Cabaret, and then as an assistant on Joseph the musical in the West End.
“I would recommend this experience for anyone starting out and who has a passion for wigs and theatre. The skills learnt in the theatre are very transferable back into TV and film. And make-up designers and crowd supervisor’s love theatre people for their speed and high attention to detail with wigs and working with high-profile actors.
“After theatre, I ended up challenging myself on several gritty shows with lots of blood, gore, and character breakdowns. Apple TV’s Liaison, BBC’s The Outlaws and Casualty were all fantastic shows for me to push my skill level in applying tattoos, injuries, and prosthetics.
“Working on Apple TV’s Napoleon for six weeks was a real ‘wow’ opportunity for me – it really is a dream come true seeing the fantastic sets, 10 cameras, hundreds of horses, the huge amount of supporting actors and the huge marquee filled with such talent. I really hope I get to do more films one day, especially a Disney one!”
What advice would you give to anyone starting their studies or thinking about it a career in Make-up?
“The advice I’d give to students starting out in the industry is to be proactive in contacting people in the area of expertise you’d like to go for, dropping a CV at the stage door, or sending an email asking to shadow for work experience is an old-fashioned but useful tip.
“I would do your research and find out who you should address the cover letter. Also, I’d say to not give up hope. Everyone in the industry is so busy and sometimes not hearing anything is normal, but it only takes one person to take a chance and get you in the door. Luck and timing are sometimes the key but keep trying. It will happen if you keep persisting.
“I’d also suggest looking into ScreenSkills Trainee Finder as this has been very beneficial for our trainees and also to keep up to date with social media sites, following @makeupdeptjobs on Instagram is also great for updates on jobs.
“Working in the industry for 15 years already has been a truly magical journey. The industry has its challenges but the rewards far outweigh the long hours, lengthy journeys, extended time away from home and lack of sleep.
“The most important thing about working on the team is being honest, looking after yourself and supporting colleagues, being creative and having fun! Cherish every job as a special memory on your make-up artist journey. If mistakes are made, learn from them; it happens to us all and further your knowledge on the next job.”
