THE HUNGER GAMES STAR JOSH HUTCHERSON TO GUEST JUDGE ON SYFY'S HIT REALITY COMPETITION SERIES "FACE OFF" TUESDAY, JANUARY 27 AT 9PM

ACTOR JOINS ALL-STAR LINEUP OF AWARD-WINNING GUESTS FOR SEASON 8

NEW YORK - January 9, 2015 - Josh Hutcherson, star of The Hunger Games franchise, will guest judge on Syfy's critically-acclaimed reality competition series Face Off - the network's most watched unscripted series - in this season's third episode, "Let the Games Begin," airing Tuesday, January 27 at 9PM (ET/PT).

Hutcherson will join The Hunger Games makeup department head Ve Neill and her fellow judges (Glenn Hetrick and Neville Page) to critique the contestants' cinema inspired deadly predator creature designs.

As previously announced, seven-time Academy Award-winner and makeup legend Rick Baker (makeup artist for American Werewolf in London, The Men in Black trilogy, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Planet of the Apes) will appear in the season's first two episodes, first mentoring the artists and then appearing as a guest judge.

Face Off will return on Tuesday, January 13 at 9PM for an action-packed eighth season themed "Return of the Champions." In a twist on the show's traditional format, three former champions, Rayce Bird (Season 2), Anthony Kosar (Season 4) and Laura Tyler (Season 5), will return in the premiere and select teams of five new artists who they will coach throughout the season.

Additionally, the Season 8 premiere will be super-sized over two episodes. At the end of the premiere, host McKenzie Westmore delivers a challenge twist in lieu of an elimination, forcing the action of the premiere to carry over into the next week's episode.

Also appearing on this season of Face Off are:

· Director (Maleficent) and two-time Academy Award-winning Production Designer (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland) Robert Stromberg Episode 804 "Royal Flush" airing Tuesday, February 3, at 9PM

· Five-time Oscar-nominated Sound Designer Erik Aadahl (Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, Argo, World War Z, I-Robot, Monsters vs. Aliens, Godzilla) and Actress and TV Personality Jill Wagner (Teen Wolf, Wipeout) Episode 805 "Sounding Off" airing Tuesday, February 10, at 9PM

· Actor Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) Episode 806 "Troll Bridge" airing Tuesday, February 17, at 9PM

· Academy-Award winning Makeup Artist and Face Off Season 7 Judge Lois Burwell (Legend, The Princess Bride, Saving Private Ryan, War of the Worlds, Lincoln) Episode 807 "Queen Bees" airing Tuesday, February 24, at 9PM

· Horror Legend Clive Barker (Candyman, Hellraiser) Episode 808 "Dressed to Kill" airing Tuesday, March 3, at 9PM

· Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler Episode 809 "Miss Intergalactic" airing Tuesday, March 10, at 9PM

· Image Comics founder and former Marvel artist Todd McFarlane Episode 810 "Super Selfies" airing Tuesday, March 17, at 9PM

In total, this season's Face Off guests tally 10 Oscars (22 Oscar nominations), 7 Emmys and world-renown acclaim.

Face Off is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. As a member of the multi-generational family dynasty whose name is synonymous with the make-up effects field, actress McKenzie Westmore brings expertise to her role as host of the series. Some of SFX world's most celebrated figures judge the competition - multiple Academy Award-winner Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, Pirates of the Caribbean), industry veteran Glenn Hetrick (CSI: New York, Heroes, Legion), and creature designer Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus). World-renowned Hollywood makeup artist Michael Westmore (Star Trek) serves as the contestant mentor.

Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton serving as executive producers.

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