Burt Reynolds

My first experience with Burt Reynolds was a drive by. I was told to sit on the teeter totter while waiting for the Smokey and the Bandit car to speed by my elementary school. I didn’t mind. I was allowed to play and I liked the teeter totter. The playground was full of my strategically placed school mates. I also didn’t mind the idea of being in a big movie. At the time, I thought I was going to be a movie star and getting to be in a major Hollywood blockbuster in only the first grade was off to a pretty good start!

Fast forward about 30 years, and here I was again with Burt Reynolds! I didn’t make it as a movie star, but because I’m a make-up artist, I’ve gotten to work with a whole lot of actors that I’ve grown up with through the movies, which is also very exciting. Working on ABC Network News shows such as Good Morning America, 20/20, This Week and other interview shows for 17 years brought me many opportunities to meet other childhood celebrities as well as celebrities that were at the peak of their stardom before my time. I’ve gotten to visit their homes and sometimes meet their families. It’s a real privilege that I’m very grateful for. These actors brought me many years of entertainment and often influenced the way I saw the world with their support in the story telling process of tv and film making.

Burt Reynolds will be missed, but fortunately we can still enjoy seeing him in his films! I noticed some of his films are being played in some local theaters now as a tribute to him and his recent passing. If you haven’t seen Deliverance, I highly recommend it! I might go see if I can find my six year old self in the background of Smokey and the Bandit!

If you want to see some of the other talented celebrities I’ve worked on, you can click here: Celena Rubin resume

Celena Rubin is the Owner, Founder, & Director of The Art of Makeup School in Portland, Oregon.