A promising makeup artist who helped create the looks for the films *Barbie* and *The Crown* has died at the age of 26 in a tragic early-morning accident — a heartbreaking farewell from the family
Ava Gillies, a gifted 26-year-old hair and makeup artist whose work helped bring to life some of the most visually striking productions of recent years, was killed in a two-vehicle collision on a quiet North Yorkshire road in the early hours of July 29.
Gillies was driving her white Volkswagen Polo along the A170 near Wrelton when it collided with a black Audi A4 at approximately 1:20–1:30 a.m. Emergency services responded, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Five people in the Audi were taken to hospital with injuries of varying severity; none were considered life-threatening. The road remained closed for several hours while specialist investigators examined the scene. Police continue to appeal for witnesses and any dashcam or CCTV footage that may help establish the full circumstances.
Gillies had built a promising career in film and television over more than five years. After training at the Delamar Academy of Make-up & Hair in 2018, she contributed to major projects including Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, the Netflix series The Crown and Bridgerton, Wonder Woman 1984, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, Star Wars: The Acolyte, and other film and television productions. In 2023 she was selected for BAFTA Connect, a program supporting emerging talent through mentoring and industry networks. Colleagues and her training academy remembered her as an exceptionally gifted, hardworking and kind artist who was steadily rising in her field.
Her family released a deeply personal statement describing the loss as immeasurable. They spoke of her wit, charm, beauty, feisty confidence and excellence in hair and makeup for film and television. In nearly 27 years, they said, she had packed in study, travel and work, and it had been a privilege to raise and love her. They expressed particular pride in her BAFTA Connect membership and the career path that had taken her from talented artist to emerging designer. The Delamar Academy also paid tribute, calling her a wonderful graduate whose creativity and warmth would be greatly missed.
The suddenness of the accident has left those who knew her, and many who only knew her work on screen, reflecting on the fragility of a life still gathering momentum. Gillies was not a household name in front of the camera, yet her craft helped shape the visual identities of globally watched stories — from the vivid, heightened world of Barbie to the meticulously detailed historical settings of The Crown and the romantic opulence of Bridgerton. Behind every polished look on those productions was careful, skilled work by artists like her.
Road collisions remain a leading cause of unexpected death among young adults. This particular crash on a rural stretch of the A170 in the middle of the night underscores how quickly circumstances can change even on familiar routes. Investigators are examining the sequence of events; until more is known, the focus remains on the human cost.
Ava Gillies leaves behind parents, a brother, extended family and a wide circle of friends and colleagues in the screen industries. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course. Those who worked with her or admired the productions she helped elevate will remember a young professional whose talent and character had already left a mark — and whose absence is now keenly felt.
