Aging a pop star by five decades requires more than makeup. Bad Bunny’s prosthetics designer Mike Marino relied on laser scans, 360-degree photographs, and 3D printers to achieve the effect. Clay sculpting also played a central role in the process.
The singer appeared at the 2026 Met Gala with a dramatically aged face. Marino transformed the 30-year-old artist into a man in his late 70s or early 80s. The illusion required capturing every wrinkle, fold, and age spot with precision.
Marino began the project by scanning Bad Bunny’s face with a 3D laser scanner. The device captured the exact shape and contours of his features. 360-degree photographs provided additional reference points for aging the skin.
Digital scans were converted into 3D prints of the singer’s head. Marino then applied layers of clay to these prints to sculpt the aged appearance. The clay allowed him to add deep wrinkles, sagging jowls, and thinning skin manually.
Each prosthetic piece was cast from these clay sculptures. The final appliances were made from silicone and applied directly to Bad Bunny’s face. The process took weeks of sculpting, molding, and testing.
Marino previously worked on films like “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Whale.” For Bad Bunny, he aimed for a natural look rather than a caricature. The goal was to make the age believable rather than grotesque.
The prosthetics covered the singer’s entire face, neck, and hands. Marino also aged the eyelids and lips to match the overall effect. The final result was seamless enough to withstand high-definition cameras at the red carpet event.
