The Daytime Emmy winner also worked with Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Whitney Houston, Halle Berry and Diahann Carroll.
Reggie Wells, who served as Oprah Winfrey’s personal makeup artist for nearly 3 decades, died on Monday of natural causes in his hometown of Baltimore, The Baltimore Banner reported. He was 76 year old.
Wells’ clients also included Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Joan Rivers, Whitney Houston, Halle Berry, Diahann Carroll, Robin Givens and Lauryn Hill.
Wells received 5 Daytime Emmy nominations for his work on The Oprah Winfrey Show, winning in 1995. He also played on her talk show and travelled all around the world with her, including to South Africa when she opened a school for girls.
“Reggie Wells was an artist who used his palette of talent to create beauty no matter the canvas,” Winfrey said in a statement. “For numerous years he was my makeup artist. He called me and everyone he considered a friend ‘Mary.’ He always made me feel beautiful. Ooh my, how we’d laugh and laugh during the process. He was an astute observer of human nature and could see humor in the most unlikely experiences.”