Rakhil Shamailova

Photo by Christina Vida

With a love for the motion picture, Rakhil Shamailova is an experienced makeup artist making her mark on the entertainment industry. Her expertise in design and her ability to form close creative relationships is her key to working with clients and directors to bring characters to life. “I love working with other queer filmmakers. I want to be a part of something that matters,” she tells GO. Shamailova has worked on many exciting projects, including “Pimp,” directed by Christine Crokos. That film, starring Keke Palmer as a pimp in the ghettos of the Bronx who dreams of a better life for her and her girlfriend, was an “unforgettable experience,” Shamailova says. “For Keke’s transformation, we shaved her head and covered her in tattoos.” Shamailova is currently working with Olivia Cooke on a new movie shooting in New York City. She wants her fellow LGBTQ
community to recognize the importance of our stories. “I think it’s important now more than ever that we pick up our pens, and our cameras, and make ourselves seen, and our voices heard.” —DT