Laney Parkhurst, Face Off Contestant and Makeup/FX Artist, Dead at 33

Laney Parkhurst, a contestant who competed on Season 5 of Syfy’s reality series Face Off, died Monday in Milford, Mich. of an accidental drug overdose. She was 33.

Her family confirmed the news in Parkhurst’s obituary, writing that she “struggled with various mental illnesses throughout her adult life.”

The family continued: “Alaina put her whole self — body, mind and soul — into her jobs, no matter the size. Her artistic ability and visions quickly set her apart from other artists in her field and her portfolio blossomed.”

After graduating high school in 2007, Parkhurst studied at Cinema Makeup School in Los Angeles. She joined Face Off in 2013, where she competed against eight of the series’ most talented prior contestants. She voluntarily withdrew from the series mid-competition, ultimately landing in fifth place. Laura Tyler eventually became the winner of Season 5.

Parkhurst continued working in the makeup/FX industry, helping clients like Bella Thorne and Marilyn Manson perfect their looks. Her work can also be seen in rapper Lil Nas X’s music video for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” which earned him the Video of the Year award at MTV’s 2021 VMAs. In addition, she had worked for Boneyard FX, which had Universal Studios as a client.

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