“That’s why I began doing makeup in the first place: I was hoping that through helping people see the beauty in themselves, I could try and find it in me.” – Kevyn Aucoin (1962-2002)
Larger Than Life, directed by Tiffany Bartok, traces the swift success and early death of Kevyn Aucoin. A make-up artist who revolutionized beauty and was frequently requested by celebrities, he viewed his work as a platform to enact change.
Bartok begins the film with interviews of Aucoin’s surviving family. They recall his immediate penchant for makeup and love for Barbra Streisand (whom he would one day work with). They also discuss the discrimination he faced as a young gay man in Louisiana.
Aucoin’s classmates and teachers repeatedly bullied him. A teacher once repeatedly spanked Aucoin in front of the entire class. Their anti-gay prejudice took a toll on the young artist, photographer, and author.
But the filmmakers also give viewers several joyful montages of Aucoin’s personal life as he rose to prominence in New York City. Models who previously handled their own photo-shoot preparation let him take over. He gained connections and friends in the beauty industry and landed a few dozen Vogue covers.
Even in his highest moments, loved ones’ accounts reveal struggles with mental illness, co-dependency, and substance abuse.
As his fame grew, Aucoin had a role on Sex and the City (playing himself) along with several high-profile interviews. He took his time making models camera-ready, but no one complained. His clients included Cher, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford.
When the bare-faced style of grunge rolled around Aucoin stuck to his glamorous roots and remained relevant, a difficult feat in such a fast-changing industry. Fellow artists commend him for his skill and character throughout the film.
In 2000, doctors diagnosed Aucoin with acromegaly, a disorder resulting from high levels of human growth hormone. He had a pituitary tumor removed. Those in his chair often mentioned the sheer size of his hands. By the end of his life, Aucoin was 6’7″.
Aucoin relied on painkillers after surgery. He passed out on a set one day, and afterward, no one would hire him. Isolation wore on his mental and physical state. One interviewee, a former client, speculates that Aucoin sincerely believed his friends would rescue him.
His Legacy
Kevyn Aucoin was 40 years old when he died from kidney and liver failure caused by acetaminophen toxicity. In Larger Than Life, viewers see a charismatic artist fighting to make a difference. The documentary demonstrates that besides being talented, Aucoin was an activist for LGBTQ people and other minority groups. He wanted to dismantle western standards of beauty. And his more playful wisdom included, “Stop using pale blue eye-shadow”.
Kevyn Aucoin’s story says stick to what you believe in, not just what you are good at. He believed that make-up could bring out a person’s soul and felt responsible for diversifying what is considered beautiful.
Larger than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story will be available on digital and on-demand July 31st.
