“New York is like a gigantic chessboard: every move is a decisive step, a game of balance between opportunities and challenges. I learned that you must always keep moving forward because the right moment can come when you least expect it.”
Angela (Angie) Valentino is an Italian make-up artist from Monza who moved to New York in 2015 to pursue her passion for artistic makeup. She graduated in Scenography and Costume Design at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan and began her career collaborating with theaters and art studios before expanding her skills into the world of fashion and advertising, both in Italy and the United States. After working with prestigious brands like Versace, Moncler, and Dolce & Gabbana, she permanently moved to New York. There, she collaborated with major theatrical and film productions, earning accolades such as the ‘Patrimonio Italiano Award 2022’ and the ‘Fini Dance Makeup Dancer Award,’ awards that celebrate her contribution to makeup for dance and cinema internationally. We interviewed her for IlNewyorkese.
When did you realize that makeup would be more than just a passion and would define your life path?
I’ve always had an innate passion for makeup since I was a child. I loved experimenting with different colors and creativity. I had no doubt about choosing an art school and later entering the Brera Academy, where I could immerse myself every day in an inspiring and stimulating environment. I obtained a degree in scenography and then a second degree in costume for performance. As I grew older, I was always fascinated by America. My style icon has always been Madonna, and I’ve always appreciated her iconic and trendy style in the makeup world. But, of course, America seemed like a dream, a movie, something far away. In the meantime, I continued my studies, and thanks to a professor from the Academy who noticed my talent, I decided to specialize further. He suggested a makeup school, and I enrolled at BCM Cosmetics Academy, the most important makeup academy in Italy, where I studied all techniques 360°: makeup for cinema, television, fashion, beauty, special effects, body painting.
From La Scala in Milan to Hollywood. When did you realize that your professional journey would take you across the ocean?
I started my journey at La Scala in Milan as an assistant scenographer, then collaborated with Mediaset and worked with brands like Moncler, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Moschino, and Cavalli. Theater fascinated me, but fashion offered more opportunities for growth, so I decided to focus on that world, among catwalks, advertising campaigns, and hectic backstage. Then came the opportunity to work on cruise ships with Costa and MSC, where I managed teams of makeup artists and traveled constantly. Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, France, Egypt, Italy: every stop was a discovery, but the more I explored, the more I felt my future was elsewhere. Italy was home, but it wasn’t enough anymore. America was calling me. So, when the Academy organized a study trip between New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, I didn’t hesitate. I saw the most iconic movie sets, Broadway musicals, and the Universal and Warner Bros. studios, but the encounter that truly marked the turning point was with the makeup designer of Avatar. That’s when I realized my world could be even bigger, and I finally arrived in the United States in 2015.
And that’s when your love story with New York began, but also with sacrifices…
Exactly. New York is an extraordinary city, but also incredibly demanding. Everything is more complicated here, every achievement requires effort and determination. It’s a place that tests you every day, but that’s exactly what makes you grow immensely. I started by throwing myself into as many projects as possible, building my path step by step until I worked in major theatrical and film productions. One of the most complex obstacles was the visa. I collaborated with many productions—in theater, cinema, and fashion—but the turning point came thanks to meeting someone involved in a campaign for Fanta. That connection opened up a big opportunity and allowed me to get the O1 visa. From there, my career gained momentum. I still remember the day before the lockdown: that’s when I got approval for my second visa renewal. I saw it as a sign of destiny, the first of many that followed. America wanted me to stay, and I wanted it too.
You’ve received prestigious awards and been featured in The New York Times. What has been the most meaningful recognition for you?
Yes, I won four awards in the United States as a makeup artist, all extremely important for my career. The first was in 2018 at the Los Angeles Fashion Week, followed by another in 2019 at the New York Fashion Week. In 2022, I received two prestigious recognitions: the Fini Dance Makeup Award, which is a career award, and the Patrimonio Italiano Award, an honor usually given to deputies in Rome, but it was presented to me in the United States because, at the time, I was waiting for my green card and couldn’t travel. This award celebrates talented Italian artists in the USA, and I was awarded for my contribution as an Italian makeup artist who exported her talent and technical knowledge to the United States, establishing herself as a renowned artist and representing a pride for the entire Italian community in the States. In 2023, I was interviewed by The New York Times, which gave me great visibility and led to a series of articles in Vogue, The New York Post, and other important outlets. It was a turning point that amplified my visibility immensely. Each of these awards has had a profound meaning for me, marking key milestones in my journey and confirming the value of my work.
You are one of the few professionals accepted into the Makeup Artists & Hair Stylists Union. How has this milestone changed your career?
Joining the Union was a dream come true, but also an extremely complex process. The selection is very difficult: every year, hundreds of candidates apply, but only a few are accepted. I prepared for six months, gathering documentation on 46 different types of makeup and obtaining recommendation letters from the Union—something that was particularly hard for me, as I didn’t know anyone within it. I had to reconstruct my entire career with numerous documents, photos, and portfolios. I still remember when that letter with a star arrived in my mailbox. Once accepted, I gained access to high-level productions that were previously out of reach, such as Hollywood films, Broadway shows, Netflix, and HBO. I also collaborated for Good Morning America and Drew Barrymore. Being part of the union means having the opportunity to work on unionized film, television, and theater sets, with guaranteed wages and better working conditions. My career gained more stability and recognition, and I began collaborating with the best professionals in the field, also giving me the chance to work on more prestigious projects, further consolidating my reputation as an established professional.
What is your relationship with competition in your working environment?
My relationship is healthy and motivating. I know that competition is very high in my field, but rather than seeing it as a threat, I consider it a drive to continuously improve. I work with people who have won awards like the Oscar and the Emmy Awards, and that makes me realize that, if I can learn from them and grow, I too can reach those levels. Competition teaches me to persevere, not to settle, and always aim higher, but without forgetting that every success requires time, sacrifice, and resilience.
What are your future dreams, and how do you envision the next chapter of your career?
The Emmy Awards is definitely one of my biggest dreams, and I aim to achieve it. In the meantime, I am writing a book that tells the story of my ten years in the United States, an intense journey that will see the light when the time is right. In the long term, I’m also thinking about creating my own makeup line, but it’s not something I want to do right now. I prefer to wait and plan every detail calmly. New York, for me, is like a gigantic chessboard. Every move represents an important step, but you have to be careful not to get crushed by the game: you must be ready to give checkmate to others, but also not to get hit. The city is a maze of possibilities, and every encounter could be the one that changes your life. When, finally, after nine and a half years, I received confirmation of my green card, it was an indescribable moment, a sign that everything I had fought for had finally made sense. I learned that you must always be ready to say “keep going,” because the right moment doesn’t always come when you expect it, but it can arrive thanks to the person you cross paths with along the way.
