Fiona Moon, a 29-year-old special effects makeup artist, has spent her life blending creativity and storytelling into a career that transforms ordinary people into extraordinary characters. She was born and raised in Ashland, Oregon, a town known for its Shakespeare Festival, to parents deeply involved in the arts. Her mother, Mei-Lin, 58, is a costume designer for the festival, while her father, Ka-Leung, 60, is a high school drama teacher. Fiona also has an older brother, Oliver, 34, who works as a set designer in New York City. Together, the Moon family shared a household steeped in creativity and artistic collaboration.
As a child, Fiona was a theater kid through and through. She grew up backstage, surrounded by costumes, props, and actors preparing for their roles. Her parents often brought her to rehearsals, where she was fascinated by the makeup artists transforming performers into everything from fantastical creatures to tragic heroes. While her brother gravitated toward set design, Fiona was captivated by the magic of makeup. She would spend hours in front of her bedroom mirror experimenting with paints, brushes, and whatever makeup supplies her mom would let her borrow.
Halloween became Fiona's favorite holiday, offering her a chance to showcase her growing skills. Each year, she crafted elaborate costumes and makeup looks, turning herself into monsters, mythical beings, and historical figures. By the time she was in high school, her creations had become the talk of the town, with neighbors and classmates eagerly awaiting her next transformation. She won nearly every Halloween contest she entered.
In high school, Fiona began volunteering as a makeup assistant for her father’s drama productions, refining her craft under the mentorship of local theater professionals. Her passion led her to attend the California Institute of the Arts, where she majored in theatrical design with a focus on special effects makeup. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles, where she started her career in indie films, creating monsters, aliens, and intricate prosthetics for small-budget productions. Her big break came when a popular TV series hired her to design a series of gruesome and highly detailed injury effects, which earned her recognition in the industry.
Fiona’s personality reflects her artistic nature—she is imaginative, driven, and a little quirky. She has a deep appreciation for storytelling and a knack for finding beauty in the grotesque. Outside of work, Fiona enjoys visiting art museums, attending horror conventions, and hosting themed costume parties for her friends. She’s also an avid collector of vintage makeup tools and books on the history of cosmetics.
Though her career keeps her busy, Fiona makes time to visit her family in Ashland, often helping her parents with their theater projects. She remains close to her brother Oliver, with whom she collaborates on occasional projects combining set and makeup design.