If you're wondering how Eddie Murphy transforms into the many characters that populate some of his most popular comedies, look no further than six-time Oscar winner Rick Baker, the magician behind the many faces in "Norbit" and Murphy's other multi-role films, "Coming to America" and "The Nutty Professor" movies.

Murphy, appearing last month on Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio," credited his collaboration with the "brilliant" Baker for making his characters come to life.

The makeup artist, who, with Stan Winston, won an Emmy for aging Cicely Tyson in the TV movie "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (1974), went on to the original "Star Wars" (1977) and Michael Jackson's groundbreaking music video, "Thriller" (1983).

Baker also turned Jim Carrey green and grizzly for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in 2000, when he won the most recent of his Academy Awards.

"Out of all the stars I've worked with, Jim definitely complained the most," Baker told The Associated Press. "He's a baby.

"The thing is, makeup is so much more comfortable now than it ever was before.

"It's not as bad as like what Boris Karloff had to suffer in [1931's] 'Frankenstein,' although it does gets tedious."

Simian has been a specialty: The remake of "Planet of the Apes" (2001), "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988), "Mighty Joe Young" (1998), to name a few.

He's created make-up effects in everything from horror ("The Ring Two") to sci-fi ("Men in Black") to Tim Burton's special brand of zany ("Ed Wood").

Baker, who's currently at work on the fantasy film "Enchanted," told The Associated Press that his best makeup subject has been Murphy.

"He really makes the stuff come to life, and he never complains. When we did 'The Nutty Professor' [another Oscar win for Baker], he spent 80-odd days in the makeup chair.

"As much as I love makeup, even I would have been complaining by the end, but Eddie didn't."

-- Sharon Eberson, Post-Gazette
entertainment editor

First Published: February 9, 2007, 5:00 a.m.