McKenzie Westmore Talks “Face Off”: Rayce, New Challenges and Her Dream Make-Up Job

McKenzie Westmore: The next Seven of Nine?
(Photo ©2012 by Bryan Reesman.)

Face Off is Syfy’s fastest growing series, having doubled its audience to over 3.5 million viewers between the season one and season two finales. Unlike other reality/competition shows, this one focuses mainly on the talent and creative process rather than annoying bitchfests and diva behavior. Season two recently wrapped up, and the third season, due out in summer 2012, is already going into production. A.D.D. caught up with series host McKenzie Westmore on the purple carpet of last week’s Syfy Upfront to get her thoughts on the recent winner, the next season and who she would like to be made up as next.

Were you happy with Rayce Bird, the winner of season two?
Very happy. He was really one that I wouldn’t say we really took note of the first couple of episodes. He always did great work but just wasn’t a standout in the very early days. The judges and I all agreed about this and talked about it as we were going along and afterwards — by the last three or four episodes, all of us were like, “Wow!” Patrick Tatopoulos was the one that said, “Did you check out that Rayce guy? Did you see what he just did? I can’t believe he came up with that!” All of a sudden it was like this guy came out of nowhere — was he even in the competition before? [laughs] He was the right one to win.

Westmore approves of Face Off's
season two winner.
(Photo credit: Nicole Wilder/Syfy.)

Were there any other people who you were quietly rooting for?
RJ. He was the fan favorite at Comic-Con, and I just thought his story was so beautiful — as was Rayce’s — that he gave up his dream to go and take care of his father, and he was trying to break back into the world of special effects. He was so sweet. [Finalists] Rayce, Ian and RJ were all so sweet, but I just felt a special fondness for RJ, just being with him from day one through the end was special to me.

Being Human co-star Sam Huntington had a guest appearance on your panel this season, and I just asked him this same question — why is it that werewolves get less love than vampires or zombies?
They’re just not as sexy I guess. To me, there’s something about the biting on the neck that is sexier than being completely ravished.

What can we expect from the next season of Face Off?
We just got our challenges — superheroes, cyborgs, Pirates of the Caribbean, Chinese New Year, Day of the Dead, fighting stuff with boxing, Fight Club type things. So a very big array [of concepts].

Are they going to make you up again?
I think again. I’m hearing rumblings.

Who would you like to be made up as?
The Medusa was a big one — I was so happy with that because I love that. I would like something like Seven of Nine. That would be cool with me — half-Borg, half-human and that awesome sexy suit. I would do that in a heartbeat.

Looking like a hot space babe?
Exactly. Nothing wrong with that!

McKenzie Westmore Talks “Face Off”: Rayce, New Challenges and Her Dream Make-Up Job

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