Greg Nicotero

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."^[7] 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,^[8] 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^[9] and moved in with Berger and Robert Kurtzman.^[10]

He later worked as FX artist on the 2010 film Predators^[11] and created a classic predator figure for the film.^[12]

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.^[13] He was at the San Diego Comic-Con International for the show.^[14] He was a guest on Talking Dead on March 24, 2013,^[15] October 12, 2014, February 8, 2015, and February 14, 2016. He also supervises the make-up effects for Fear the Walking Dead.^[16]

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.^[17]

He was a guest on the MythBusters Zombie Special on October 17, 2013.^[18]

He designed a Leatherface skin for the 2023 game, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It dawns his name being called, "Nicotero Leatherface" and was released October 24th, 2023.

• 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
• The Grey (2011) as Duke Chavis
• Piranha 3D (2010) as Boat Captain
• 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

• 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)

• Greg Nicotero at IMDb
• Interview with Nicotero
• FanGirl Magazine Interview Pt 1^{[permanent dead link]}
• FanGirl Magazine Interview Pt 2
• HorrorHound Convention Report
• Greg Nicotero at FEARnet