Orville: New Horizons Alien Looks Even Better in Detailed BTS Images

Prosthetic makeup artist Bart Mixon shares some behind-the-scenes looks at his work on The Orville: New Horizons' latest practical effects.

Orville: New Horizons Alien Looks Even Better in Detailed BTS Images

Behind-the-scenes images from one of The Orville: New Horizons‘ latest episodes reveal a detailed look at an unfamiliar alien. Created by Seth MacFarlane, the science-fiction comedy series first premiered on Fox back in 2017, where it aired for two seasons, before being rebranded at Hulu in a move that would allow for greater action-based storytelling and special effects. Set 400 years in the future, The Orville follows a crew on board the titular exploratory space vessel. Its cast includes MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, and Mark Jackson.

In the fifth episode of New Horizons, “A Tale of Two Topas,” eagle-eyed viewers might have caught a glimpse at an unfamiliar alien appearing in a scene where Commander Grayson visits Topa in the Mess Hall. Prosthetic makeup artist Bart Mixon has been responsible for a lot of this season’s visual effects and has shared multiple behind-the-scenes photos noting the processes involved in bringing so many new creations to life. His latest set of pictures offers an up-close look at the unknown alien.

In a series of recent images shared to his Instagram, Mixon gave fans a look at episode 5’s alien, and it’s even better than what was seen on-screen. He revealed that the initial design was made prior to the show’s COVID-19 shutdown and included before and after photos to detail its evolution and change in color. He also gave thanks to the other prosthetic artists and teased that more makeup images will be posted as the series continues. Check out Mixon’s impressive work below:

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Fans can certainly appreciate Mixon’s behind-the-scenes photos, as he has given them a peek at what has often been an overlooked process that plays a major role in prosthetic-heavy projects like this. In his previous series of images shared online, the makeup artist revealed a detailed look at one character’s demon transformation in New Horizons‘ second episode. Not only did he show just how much of the effects in the episode were practical, but he also highlighted how much additional work from other departments goes into making them look as real as possible.

The Orville‘s move to Hulu resulted in a more impressive production value and that is perhaps most evident in the visual effects. With more action and adventure, as well as additional nods to Star Trek properties, viewers are seeing just how far MacFarlane’s show has been able to grow since its debut season. Those who enjoy Mixon’s behind-the-scenes images and the series’ effects overall can look forward to seeing what comes next as The Orville: New Horizons continues.