Arts & Entertainment

Norristown Native Nominated for Emmy

Gino Crognale, a Bishop Kenrick grad and Norristown native, is part of the KNB EFX special effects team nominated for an Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup Emmy for the AMC original series, "The Walking Dead."

According to the AMC network's blog, the popular original series The Walking Dead was nominated for three Emmy's this year – for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, Outstanding Visual Effects and Outstanding Sound Editing.

Fans of the show will most likely not be surprised at the accolades, but some may not realize that one of the talents making all of those ghoulish zombies come to undead life is Norristown native Gino Crognale.

Crognale is part of the show's KNB EFX special effects team and according toThe Times Herald, became fascinated by special effects wizadry as a student at Bishop Kenrick in the '80s.

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"These guys are sculptors, painters, design artists," Crognale told the Herald. "And I thought, 'That’s what I do and what I want to do (professionally), so how do I do this?'"

Crognale figured it out and has worked on such blockbusters as The Green Mile,The X Files, and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 in his 25-plus year career. Crognale now lives in Pittsburgh and flies to the set of The Walking Dead in Atlanta, Georgia when needed.

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"I really feel blessed to be this kid from Norristown, and I’ve been to places in the world I thought I’d never see and actually worked there." Crognale told the Herald. "I’ve been with great actors, and I’ve really been experiencing this filmmaking world up close and personal, and that’s the greatest thing."

The winner of Crognale's category will be announced on Sept. 15, but you can watch the 64th annual Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sep. 23, on ABC. 

You can also read more about Crognale's career and his life on the Herald's website.


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