‘Thriller’ hooked him as a kid. Now this Colombian special effects artist is Orlando’s go-to monster maker

Cesar Castano is a familiar face behind the scenes at some of Orlando’s most popular attractions, and during one of the busiest times of the year, the Colombian-born special effects artist is working around the clock, bringing monsters and more to life. Castano is quick to point out that special effects makeup is a world apart from traditional beauty work.“A lot of friends are like, ‘Oh, I’m getting married. Can you do my makeup?’ And I’m like, ‘Ooh, I can make you like the bride of Frankenstein and you’re gonna look beautifully ugly,’” he said. “A good special effects makeup artist relies on those mistakes because to me the mistakes enhance the makeup.”His path into the craft was anything but conventional. Growing up in Pasto, Colombia — a region rich in indigenous art, culture, and the famous Black and White Carnival — Castano was surrounded by creativity from an early age. He started by drawing on his own hands, then moved to walls, then to body painting on his brother.“I never thou