Ava Gillies Car Accident: ‘Barbie’ Movie Makeup Artist Dies at 26

The film and television industry is mourning the loss of Ava Gillies, a 26-year-old hair and makeup artist whose credits included some of the biggest productions of recent years. Gillies was killed in a two-vehicle collision on the A170 near Wrelton, North Yorkshire, in the early hours of Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

Known for her work on the billion-dollar blockbuster Barbie, the Netflix period drama Bridgerton, the award-winning series The Crown, and Marvel’s Secret Invasion, Gillies had built an impressive career in less than a decade. Her death, confirmed by North Yorkshire Police, has prompted tributes from her family, colleagues, and training institutions, all of whom have described her as a gifted, hardworking artist taken far too soon.

This article covers the full details of the accident, the career that made Gillies a rising force in the British film industry, the tributes paid in her honour, and what her loss means for a creative community she was deeply embedded in.

What Happened: Details of the A170 Collision

At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, emergency services were called to the A170, a road that runs between Wrelton and Pickering in North Yorkshire, following reports of a serious collision between two vehicles.

According to North Yorkshire Police, a black Audi A4 and a white Volkswagen Polo driven by Ava Gillies collided while travelling in opposite directions. Despite the immediate response by paramedics and emergency crews, Gillies was pronounced dead at the scene.

Five occupants of the Audi A4 were transported to hospital with injuries of varying severity. Police stated that none of those injuries were believed to be life-threatening.

The A170 was closed in both directions between Pickering and Wrelton for several hours while specialist collision investigators examined the scene. North Yorkshire Police confirmed that no arrests had been made in connection with the incident as of the time of reporting.

Ava Gillies, ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Crown’ Makeup Artist, Dies at 26 in Horror Crash https://t.co/RmsauewuSD

— People (@people) August 4, 2026

Ongoing Police Investigation and Witness Appeal

North Yorkshire Police have issued a public appeal for anyone with information about the crash. The force has specifically asked for the following:

• Witnesses who observed either vehicle travelling on the A170 before the collision
• Anyone with dashcam footage captured in the area around the time of the incident
• Residents or businesses with CCTV recordings that may be relevant

Anyone with information has been asked to email [email protected] or call 101, quoting reference number 12260145114.

A police spokesperson said their thoughts remained with Gillies’ family, friends, and all who knew her during this time.

Who Was Ava Gillies? Her Life and Career

Ava Gillies was a London-based hair and makeup designer originally from the Wrelton area in North Yorkshire. She described herself on her professional website as a BAFTA Connect recognised designer who brought a considered, detail-led approach to every brief.

Her career, though tragically brief, spanned major film and television productions and demonstrated an upward trajectory that few in the industry achieve so quickly.

Education and Training

Gillies studied at York College before going on to train at the Delamar Academy of Make-up and Hair in London, graduating in 2018. The Delamar Academy, established in 1986, is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious makeup and hair training institutions in the world. It is the only makeup school whose graduates have won Oscars, BAFTAs, Emmys, and the Vogue Makeup Artist of the Year award.

The academy offers intensive professional programs with small class sizes of no more than 12 students, and it provides ongoing career support for graduates through its aftercare and industry placement network. Gillies was one of many Delamar alumni who went on to work on globally recognised productions soon after completing their training.

While still a trainee, she participated in the National Student Makeup Awards, where she won first place, an early indicator of the skill level she brought to her craft.

Professional Career and Major Credits

After graduating from the Delamar Academy, Gillies quickly moved into professional work across film and television. Her career included contributions to some of the most high-profile productions of the past several years.

Her known credits include:

• Barbie (2023) — The Greta Gerwig-directed film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling became a global phenomenon, earning over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office. The film’s makeup department, led by designer Ivana Primorac, was responsible for creating the iconic doll-inspired looks that required custom body makeup, elaborate wigs, and painstaking attention to skin-finish detail for every character.
• Belfast (2021) — Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film about growing up in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Gillies served as a hair and makeup trainee on the production, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won Best Original Screenplay.
• Death on the Nile (2022) — The murder mystery film based on Agatha Christie’s novel, starring Kenneth Branagh and Gal Gadot. The period setting required extensive makeup and hair work to recreate 1930s glamour on screen.
• Andor (2022) — The critically acclaimed Star Wars series for Disney+, on which Gillies worked across five episodes. The show was praised for its grounded, realistic approach to the Star Wars universe, a tone reflected in its hair and makeup department’s work.
• Secret Invasion (2023) — Marvel’s Disney+ series starring Samuel L. Jackson and Olivia Colman. Gillies worked across six episodes on the makeup team.
• Bridgerton — Netflix’s massively popular Regency-era drama, known for its elaborate period hairstyling and makeup design.
• The Crown — Netflix’s award-winning dramatisation of the British royal family, another production that required precise period-accurate hair and makeup.

According to ITV News, Gillies’ professional profile also listed work on Paramount’s Little Disasters and additional Star Wars projects. At the time of her death, her IMDb page listed several projects in post-production, including Band of Spies (a television series on which she was credited as hair and makeup artist across eight episodes), the short film Bolbol (where she served as makeup department head), and Ivanko’s Childhood (where she held the title of hair and makeup designer).

The progression from trainee to department head and designer within just a few years underscored the pace at which Gillies was advancing in the industry.

BAFTA Connect Membership

Gillies was a member of BAFTA Connect, a specialised membership tier within the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). The programme is specifically designed for emerging and mid-career professionals working in film, games, and television. It offers a discounted membership that can be renewed for up to three years, providing access to industry events, networking opportunities, and the broader BAFTA community.

BAFTA Connect is part of the organisation’s charitable mission to support future creative leaders and is open to individuals who are actively building their careers in the screen industries. Membership is competitive and reflects professional recognition of a creative’s growing body of work.

Her family specifically mentioned her BAFTA Connect membership in their tribute, noting that they were proud of the opportunities it represented in her career trajectory.

Family Tribute: “It Was a Privilege to Have Raised You”

In a statement released through North Yorkshire Police, Gillies’ family expressed their grief and pride.

The family described Ava as their beautiful daughter, sister, and granddaughter, highlighting her wit, charm, confidence, and numerous talents. They noted that in nearly 27 years, she had packed in an extraordinary amount of study, travel, and professional work.

The family expressed particular pride in her BAFTA Connect membership and the professional path that had taken her from talented artist to makeup designer on major productions. They also acknowledged the outpouring of support from people within the film industry and the community where Ava was raised, describing the comments, cards, and messages as a source of great comfort.

The family thanked the emergency services and the police family liaison officers, and requested that members of the media refrain from contacting them directly. They indicated that plans for Ava’s funeral and a celebration of her life would be announced in due course.

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Tribute From the Delamar Academy

The Delamar Academy of Make-up and Hair, where Gillies trained in 2018, released its own tribute on social media following the news of her death.

The academy described Gillies as an exceptionally gifted artist who had been successfully building her career since completing her training. They called her a kind, creative, hardworking, and lovely person who would be greatly missed by all who knew her, and extended their condolences to her parents, brother, and wider family and friends.

The tribute reflected the close relationship that the Delamar Academy maintains with its graduates. The academy’s aftercare programme actively supports alumni in securing work placements across the film, television, theatre, and fashion industries, often continuing to place graduates in positions years after they complete their courses. Many of the institution’s alumni go on to work in makeup trailers, crowd rooms, and prosthetic workshops on sets around the world.

Why This Story Matters: The Unsung Workforce Behind Major Films

The death of Ava Gillies has drawn attention to the often overlooked professionals who work behind the scenes to bring major film and television productions to life. While directors, actors, and screenwriters tend to receive the bulk of public recognition, the hair and makeup departments on productions like Barbie are central to realising the visual identity of a film.

The Scale of Makeup Work on Productions Like Barbie

The 2023 Barbie movie required an enormous makeup and hair operation. Lead makeup designer Ivana Primorac and her team began work six months before filming, researching vintage Barbie dolls and developing custom body makeup formulas that would create a flawless, doll-like finish without transferring onto costumes. The team needed to create multiple distinct looks for a large cast, each reflecting a different era or style of Barbie doll.

The work involved custom-manufactured body makeup, elaborate wig work, and precision beauty application under hot studio lighting. Artists working at every level, from trainees to department heads, contributed to the final on-screen result.

For young artists like Gillies, being part of a production of that scale provided invaluable professional experience and exposure to the highest standards of the craft.

Career Pathways for Makeup Artists in the UK

The pathway Gillies followed, from regional study at York College to professional training at the Delamar Academy to working on top-tier productions, reflects a common career trajectory for UK-based makeup artists in the film and television industry.

The entry point is typically a combination of formal training and early on-set experience, often beginning in trainee roles on productions. Progression depends on building a portfolio of credits, developing relationships with key department heads who make hiring decisions, and demonstrating reliability, speed, and creative skill under demanding conditions.

Gillies’ rapid advancement from trainee roles on Belfast to department head credits on short films, all within roughly five years of completing her training, placed her among the most promising emerging talents in the field.

Timeline of Key Events

Industry Context: Losses in the Film Community

The loss of a young professional with a rising career trajectory is always deeply felt within the close-knit communities that make up film and television production crews. Makeup and hair departments, in particular, are collaborative environments where professionals often work long hours in close proximity, forming strong bonds across productions.

The film industry has seen several recent losses of behind-the-scenes professionals, each of which has prompted discussions about the working conditions, safety, and wellbeing of crew members. While the circumstances of Gillies’ death were unrelated to her work, the outpouring of grief from colleagues and industry contacts underscores how tightly connected these professional communities are.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Ava Gillies?

Ava Gillies, a 26-year-old hair and makeup artist, was killed in a two-vehicle collision on the A170 near Wrelton, North Yorkshire, at approximately 1:30 a.m. on July 29, 2026. Her white Volkswagen Polo collided with a black Audi A4 travelling in the opposite direction. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

What movies did Ava Gillies work on?

Gillies worked on several major film and television productions, including Barbie (2023), Belfast (2021), Death on the Nile (2022), Andor (2022), Secret Invasion (2023), Bridgerton, The Crown, and Paramount’s Little Disasters. She also had projects in post-production at the time of her death.

Was Ava Gillies a BAFTA member?

Yes. Gillies was a member of BAFTA Connect, a membership tier within the British Academy of Film and Television Arts designed specifically for emerging and mid-career professionals in film, games, and television.

Where did Ava Gillies train?

Gillies studied at York College and later trained at the Delamar Academy of Make-up and Hair in London, graduating in 2018. The Delamar Academy is the only makeup school in the world whose graduates have won Oscars, BAFTAs, and Emmys.

Were there any arrests related to the crash?

North Yorkshire Police confirmed that no arrests had been made in connection with the collision as of the most recent reports. The investigation is ongoing, and police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage to come forward.

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Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by 247 News Around The World