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The Repair Shop experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, also known as the Teddy Bear Ladies, opened up about how they deal with emotional moments on the show

The Repair Shop’s beloved Teddy Bear Ladies, Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, chatted with Alan Titchmarsh about handling the show’s tear-jerking moments.

Amanda confessed that she often sheds tears away from the camera, believing that viewers wouldn’t appreciate seeing the experts getting teary on air.

She also revealed her tactic for controlling her emotions on set, which involves embracing guests after a reveal to help stifle her tears.

Alan sympathised, sharing his own challenges with emotional content: “I get told off often enough on this programme for losing it when I see a sentimental clip. What’s it like?”

Amanda gave a glimpse behind the scenes, mentioning: “There is always a stash hidden, so we can grab a tissue if we need one,” reports Gloucestershire Live.

Acknowledging the intensity of their work, she added, “It is so emotional,” and noted that the production team limits showing the experts’ emotional reactions because “I think they keep the emotional clips of us to a minimum because it doesn’t make good TV if we are all blubbing. It can get really emotional in that barn.”

After watching a particularly poignant segment from the show, Alan enquired how they maintain composure during such reveals.

Amanda explained her approach: “That’s why I tend to shuffle around to give her a bit of a hug because it gives me something to focus on.”

Julie admitted her vulnerability, saying: “You could see I was about to lose it, I think it was quite clear.”

“It is hard,” Amanda continued, “But we are quite fortunate. We kind of play off each other, so usually, different things trigger us.”

She concluded by highlighting their supportive dynamic: “So one will sense that the other one is starting to go, and will kind of take over the conversation.”

Julie and Amanda have been fixtures on The Repair Shop since its inception in 2017. Despite always being seen together, they’re not family but rather close mates with a shared passion for toy restoration.

Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is available to watch on ITVX.

Fabulous’ Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.

I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high-street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.

Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.

My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.

I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high-street fave River Island.

I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.

Frilly ra-ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.

Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.

At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.

Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.

I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.

One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!

That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.

It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When Cool Britannia hit in the ’90s, they all turned up in one big store.

Designers at Debenhams was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson, to name a few.

This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.

Years later, I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.

In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.

Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!

Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.

I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.

I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.

At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?

High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.

Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!

A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.

Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.

I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.

Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.

Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.

The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.

The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!

A RARE mourning ring commissioned by King George IV has been found in a charity shop – and snapped up for just £15.

The gold band, engraved with the touching words “Remember me”, was created to honour the death of Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of King George III.

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The historic piece was discovered in a charity shop in Leicester and is now set to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers, where it could fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “It’s the most important charity shop find I’ve heard about in a decade.”

The unsuspecting buyer had picked up the ring from a local shop, unaware of its royal connection.

Mr Hanson recalled: “I was stunned and dazzled. From a simple box emerged a piece of deeply personal Royal history – commissioned by the Royal family itself to honour a lost loved one.”

Princess Amelia was born on 7 August 1783 and died aged 27 in 1810 after a long battle with tuberculosis.

Her death is thought to have devastated King George III, accelerating his mental decline. She was believed to be his favourite child.

The ring, crafted by top royal jewellers Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, was one of only 52 made on the orders of the Prince Regent – who later became King George IV.

They were handed out to close family and friends after her funeral in Windsor.

“The white enamel used in the ring denotes that Amelia was unmarried at the time of her death,” Mr Hanson said.

“White enamel symbolised purity and innocence in mourning jewellery, particularly for those who died young or unmarried.

“It contrasts with the more commonly used black enamel, which signified general mourning.”

In a final act of love, Princess Amelia is said to have pressed a ring containing a lock of her hair into her father’s hand as she lay dying, whispering the words now inscribed on the newly discovered ring – “remember me”.

A matching mourning ring was later bought by Queen Mary in 1935. Back in 1810, each ring cost 58 shillings to make.

“This find proves treasures still lie hidden on our high streets,” said Mr Hanson.

“It’s not just the monetary value – it’s the emotion, history and humanity behind this ring that truly moves you.”

Experts believe the ring could attract international interest when it goes under the hammer, thanks to its royal provenance and remarkable condition.

Collectors of royal memorabilia are expected to watch the auction closely.

Jewellery historian Alexandra Michell said: “It’s incredibly rare to find such a piece outside of established collections.

“Mourning jewellery from this era, especially tied to a royal figure, is both historically and emotionally valuable.”

The ring has now been placed in secure storage until its auction day to ensure its protection.

It will feature as a highlight item in Hansons’ Summer Fine Art Jewellery Auction.

The auction will take place on 12 June 2025, and bids are expected to come in from across the UK and abroad.

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A MUCH-LOVED jewellers is set to close its doors for good after more than 20 years on the high street.

The jewellery shop has launched an ‘everything must go’ sale, ahead of its closure.

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Whittakers Jewellers, which has been a staple of Yarm High Street for 21 years, has confirmed its final day of trading will be Saturday, May 31.

The long-running store first announced its closure back in November, sparking sadness among loyal locals.

Since then, big bold signs have filled the shop windows, shouting about the store’s closing down sale with jewellery fans flocking in for a final bargain.

But now, with the countdown officially on, fresh signs have gone up confirming its last day is just days away.

The store have slashed jewellery prices from as much as 70% off.

The store posted one hot deal to its Facebook, where a diamond ring was slashed from £7,350 to £2,190.

The deal meant shoppers would save a massive £5,000.

The family-run store has thanked customers for their loyalty over the years in a heartfelt Facebook message.

It said: “We are sad we are leaving but we have treasured the 21 years we’ve been here on the High Street.

“We think of our customers as family and friends… we will miss you all.”

Whittakers have built up a massively loyal customer base and is located between the Lucy Pittaway art store and The Keys pub.

Four members of the Evans family have run the business since March 2004.

Bosses of the jewellers told Teesside Live they had expanded over the years – and even opened the first Pandora shop in the country.

But they added they always looked to maintain a “genuine, homey feel”.

Fans of the jewellers say it will leave a huge hole in the town, with one heartbroken shopper writing: “It’ll be such a big loss to the high street and to me.

“I’ve had the pleasure of purchasing so many lovely items over the years”

Another added: “Big loss to Yarm High Street.”

While a third said: “Thank you for your beautiful jewellery and fabulous staff. You will all be greatly missed”

It’s not the only jewellery giant feeling the pinch.

G Hewitt & Son, a 154-year-old jewellers, and one of the UK’s first Rolex retailers, launched a once-in-a-lifetime closing down sale last month.

The shop told followers on Facebook: “Everything must go – don’t miss out on huge savings.”

Meanwhile, The Watches of Switzerland Group – based in Leicestershire – has confirmed it will close 16 showrooms across the country and that 40 people were expected to leave the business.

Similarly, Terence Lett Jewellers, located on the high street in Witney, Oxfordshire, has announced its decision to shut up shop.

And loyal customers of Jane Allen Jewellers in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales were left distraught to hear the update and have been mourning the imminent loss.

With more and more historic jewellers disappearing from high streets, Whittakers’ final goodbye will be bittersweet for shoppers in Yarm.

Locals now have just days left to bag a bargain and say farewell to one of the town’s best-loved shops.

RETAIL SECTOR STRUGGLES

Its not just jewellery stores that are suffering to stay open.

The retail industry has faced multiple closures this year, with ocncerns over the British high streets becoming ‘ghost towns’.

It’s worth bearing in mind, larger retail chains often open and close branches based on customer demand and sales.

Sometimes a single store might shut because a lease is ending and the chain has decided it is better to direct cash into other shops or opening new ones.

However, the retail sector more broadly has struggled since the 2008 financial crash.

The Centre for Retail Research has said the industry has been going through a “permacrisis” during this period.

There are a number of reasons the sector is struggling, one being the rise of online shopping.

This has seen footfall to high street stores fall seeing large swathes of branches close across the UK.

Challenging economic conditions in recent years, including soaring inflation, have dented shoppers’ wallets and purses too.

While some bigger retailers have struggled to stay afloat, including Wilko, in recent years independent shops have suffered the most.

The Centre for Retail Research said more than 13,000 high street shops closed in 2024, with over 11,000 of these independents.

A HUGE coffee chain with more than 1,300 UK branches has shuttered one of its high street shops.

Starbucks abruptly pulled the plug on its coffee house in Headington, Oxford.

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The location on the town’s London Road notified punters that the “shop is now closed” on a store window sign.

The coffee giant first waved in customers in October 2007.

It is unknown why Starbucks decided to close down the location.

Starbucks now has two remaining locations in Oxford, according to its website, which are located on Cornmarket Street and Westgate Shopping Centre.

The Sun Online has reached out to Starbucks for comment.

In April last year, Starbucks announced the closure of one of its Reading cafes, leaving some shoppers “shocked”.

And in March 2024, locals were saddened to hear their Dalton Park store, in Murton, Country Durham, would be closing down in hours.

RETAIL APOCALYPSE

Both independent and industry giants have been struggling with rising costs and reduced footfall over the past few years.

Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets.

Just a few months into 2025 and it’s already proving to be another tough year for many major brands.

Rising living costs – which mean shoppers have less cash to burn – and an increase in online shopping has battered retail in recent years.

In some cases, landlords are either unwilling or unable to invest in keeping shops open, further speeding up the closures.

Smiggle isn’t the only stationary shop shutting its doors, more WHSmiths stores are set to close in the next few months.

The huge sports retailer, Sports Direct is axed its Newmarket Road store in Cambridge on April 18.

Whilst, Red Menswear in Chatham in Medway, Kent, shut for the final time on Saturday, March 29, after selling men’s clothing since 1999.

A couple months ago, Essential Vintage told followers on social that it would be closing down after they had been “priced out” because of bigger players in the market such as Vinted.

Jewellery brand Beaverbrooks is also shutting three shops early this month.

New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes.

Approximately a quarter of the retailer’s 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.

This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look’s 8,000-strong workforce.

It’s understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.

The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is hitting retailers hard – and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.

A SERIAL thief has been barred from every Greggs in England and Wales after repeatedly targeting the same bakery in a shameless crime spree.

Patrick Verry, 33, is now forbidden from entering any of the high street baker’s hundreds of branches following a court order brought by the Met Police.

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He was caught in the act last week by officers inside a Greggs shop in Wood Green, North London, after striking the location seven times.

Verry was arrested on the spot and brought before Highbury Magistrates’ Court the following day, where he admitted to six counts of theft from the same Greggs store.

Police described him as one of the capital’s “most prolific shoplifters” — and now he’s banned from every Greggs outlet across the country in a move to protect staff and customers.

The order comes as part of a new Met Police blitz on retail crime amid soaring shoplifting rates nationwide.

Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met’s retail crime lead, said: “The Met is focused on tackling the most prolific shoplifters like Verry.

“They cause fear to retail workers and their offending has a negative impact on communities.”

He continued: “We continue to work with local business owners to investigate reports of shoplifting, understand concerns and use different tactics to crackdown, including targeted operations and regular patrols.”

The ban on Verry comes as The Sun lifts the lid on the true scale of the shoplifting crisis crippling British high streets.

Our undercover investigation found Greggs shops across the country being stripped of stock in broad daylight, with some stores experiencing a theft every 20 minutes.

At one busy location in South London, a thief was seen stuffing doughnuts and drinks into his pockets before barging past staff and walking out unfazed.

In another shocking clip filmed in Tooting, a brave female Greggs manager tried to stop a thief who was carrying several bottles of Coca-Cola.

She shouted: “You’re not having all of that,” as the crook tried to leave.

He coolly replied: “Yeah I’m walking out with them, watch me.”

Customers looked on in silence, too scared to step in. A witness said: “There were two grown men just stood by the tills.

“Everyone was just silent.

“No one said a word. People are just afraid now.”

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The Met later confirmed it was not alerted to the Tooting incident, which happened in August, highlighting just how many shoplifting cases go unreported.

Our reporters saw similar scenes play out in branches from Newcastle to Brighton, with thieves helping themselves to hot food, drinks and sandwiches without even trying to hide it.

In Stockwell, South London, one man was caught on camera filling his coat with products before grabbing two boxes of jam doughnuts worth £3 each and fleeing during the lunchtime rush.

In Worthing, West Sussex, two men repeatedly walked in and out of Greggs helping themselves to hot food from the display cabinets.

On Brighton’s Queen’s Road, one crook walked off with two trays of wedges in front of a stunned staff member. “Average day,” the employee said when asked about it.

Minutes later, another thief ran out with two trays of wedges and a sandwich, while yet another masked man sprinted off carrying food as helpless staff shouted after him.

In Southampton, a man entered just after midday, grabbed four hot food items and said: “Sorry guys, I’m homeless, I need to eat,” before walking straight out the door.

In many cases, Greggs staff are told not to intervene directly with thieves for safety reasons.

One insider told us: “They’ve been told not to chase anyone, not to engage. It’s heartbreaking for the team.”

Astonishingly, just 350 people have been prosecuted for stealing from Greggs in the last six months.

Of those, only 111 received immediate or suspended jail time — and most had long criminal records.

Greggs has started introducing extra security measures in stores hit hardest by crime.

That includes removing self-serve fridges, placing chilled food behind the till, and trialling bouncers in some branches.

One staff member said: “It’s like we’re on the front line. You’re trying to sell sausage rolls but you’re looking over your shoulder constantly.”

Greggs boss Roisin Currie confirmed the company is now using facial recognition technology to catch thieves and pass images to police.

“We’ve now got a system where we can take photos of people committing theft on the shop floor and that then instantly goes to the police,” she told The Sun.

The bakery chain is also investing in body cameras for workers and running trials with a 24-hour shoplifting helpline.

A Greggs spokeswoman said: “Shoplifting is an industry-wide issue and we take it extremely seriously.

The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our absolute priority.”

Politicians have backed The Sun’s investigation.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “This is an important and timely investigation from The Sun, exposing just how bad the shoplifting epidemic has become.

“There has to be consequences for this appalling criminality.”

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson added: “Retail workers should never feel unsafe at work. That is why we’re taking robust action to tackle shop theft and protect workers.”

She confirmed new laws are coming under the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, which will create a specific offence for assaulting shop staff and scrap the £200 threshold that previously gave low-level shoplifters “effective immunity.”

Meanwhile, the Met has released dramatic new footage showing suspects sprinting from stores clutching bottles, sandwiches and snacks as part of a wider crackdown on repeat retail offenders.

And police chiefs say they’re not stopping with Verry, more bans could be coming for other prolific shoplifters as efforts ramp up to restore order on Britain’s battered high streets.

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Just north of Magic Mountain’s roller coasters, hidden within the vast, anonymous industrial parks of Valencia, lies the secret lab where the murderous doll M3GAN was born.

“Born” is putting it a touch dramatically — but only a touch. Though she’s taken on a prankish life of her own since the 2022 runaway horror hit made her dance moves iconic, M3GAN is a product of several teams, primarily the animatronic makeup and design company Morot FX Studio, but also a human actor, 15-year-old Amie Donald, several puppeteers and a swarm of technicians performing in concert like a group of modern dancers.

And while the nondescript row of beige offices I pull up to doesn’t scream “secret lab,” that’s not far off either. Just last night, Christian Bale was here, testing out some face-changing prosthetics for his forthcoming role in “Madden,” about the Oakland Raiders football legend. Nicolas Cage dropped in a day earlier. Both will be returning in the days ahead.

“You want a popcorn?” asks Adrien Morot, 54, the shop’s boyish proprietor in a baseball cap. It’s a Saturday in April — the only available time he has in a typically job-crammed week to show us some of the new work he’s done on “M3GAN 2.0,” due in theaters June 27.

There’s a noticeable pride Morot takes in touring me around his geek’s paradise: a two-level office crammed with shelves of scowling latex heads, furry creatures and a pair of giant gators overlooking it all. You see posters for horror movies like Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving” as well as more elegant, perhaps unlikely gigs: Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” and the Bale-starring “Vice,” for which the actor was transformed into Dick Cheney. (Morot’s task: turning Steve Carell into Donald Rumsfeld.)

At Morot FX Studio, makeup jobs from the company’s past productions are displayed.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Scattered pizza boxes left on workbenches lend to the air of dorm-room fantasy but Morot is quick to open one up: no leftover slices, only delicate pieces of fabricated skin applications. Pizza boxes are perfect for those.

“I have to admit that, especially for somebody like me that grew up just doing this — this was my hobby, really — there’s never a day where you don’t come into the shop feeling: This is so cool,” Morot says.

Once upon a time, he was a kid in Montreal, horror-obsessed, making his own creations. “F/X,” the deliriously fun 1986 thriller about a special-effects man on the run, is one he watched as a “dumb 16-year-old, very cocky, like a teenager thinking that I was better than everything,” but also a movie he can recount beat for beat.

Also picking her way through the shop is Kathy Tse, Morot’s longtime creative partner and wife. Soft-spoken, with a mind for specifics that complements and protects Morot, her presence immediately makes the space feel more like a serious studio shared by two contemporary artists. She explains that Valencia was “family-friendly” and a better real-estate value.

“Because we have good chemistry — we have trust — we work well together,” Tse, 44, says. “That is so important when you are under duress, under stress. And because of that, they always end up calling us back.”

Morot puts the finishing touches on Brendan Fraser for “The Whale,” work that won his team an Oscar.

(Niko Tavernise / A24)

Hollywood has called back, noticing them in a big way. The Oscar they won for the fleshy organic work they did with Brendan Fraser on “The Whale” is nowhere to be seen. It’s in a closet somewhere, Morot admits, sheepishly.

“Winning an Oscar has never been in the list of accomplishments that I was seeking, truly ever,” he says. “My only goal that I was really dying for was to have one of our creations on the cover of Fangoria magazine. That’s the only thing.” (They line the shop’s business office.)

Tse steers us around to the notion of a certain intimacy they like to work at, a realist aesthetic that might be called the Morot house style.

“What was great about the Oscar that year was how Brendan and Adrien really bonded,” she adds. “They were like brothers, with the constant support and dirty jokes and texts going back and forth. I think that was such a nice, beautiful relationship. To this day, they still text.”

“That’s always how we saw our work,” Morot says. “We’re there to help the actor if we can with what we produce — to help them find the character.”

And with that, the pair take me up to the second level of their shop, followed by their border terrier, Jasper, and there she is, the girl of the hour.

Allison Williams and an animatronic M3GAN in a scene from the movie “M3GAN 2.0,” directed by Gerard Johnstone.

(Universal Pictures)

“M3GAN 2.0” is exactly the sequel fans will be wanting. It embraces the essential ridiculousness of the concept — a vicious AI in the robotic body of a pissed-off tween — as well as the folly of tech bros who would move fast and break things before heeding some fairly obvious warnings.

It’s more of a comedy. The laughs are constant (yes, M3GAN sings another of her awkward songs). Also, reading the room, the filmmakers realize that we’ve come to love her and want to root for her. To that end, she’s been turned into something of a force for good, drafted into doing battle against a military-grade AI called Amelia, also built into the body of a young woman.

For the sake of our visit, Morot and Tse have set up two full-size M3GANs, one from the first movie, another from the upcoming film, the latter more muscular and a good several inches taller. That change was motivated by the realities of their human actor.

“Amie, she keeps growing so quickly and within a year grew over two inches,” Tse says. “The first one she was yay high and then six months later, she grew. We had to readjust all of our dolls.”

Says Morot, “She is such a joy to work with — a real trouper. And I think that everybody was enamored with her and it just made sense to bring her back in the second movie. So I think that the script was altered or adapted to make sure that she would fit within the story.”

One of the several M3GAN masks at Morot FX Studio.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

When M3GAN is running or doing one of her viral swirly-arm dances, it’s performed by Donald, a young actor from New Zealand, wearing a mask designed by Team Morot. He shows me the mold. “That’s her face on the inside,” he says. “That’s a negative impression of her face. It’s quite heavy, actually.”

But when it’s a medium shot or close-up, you’re seeing an animatronic puppet operated by several people. Usually Morot is working the mechanisms in the eyes and lubricating them — he can speak excitedly at length about “eyeball pivot” — while Tse is manipulating arms and doing a fair amount of hand-acting.

“In my naiveté, I never quite understood just how much this was basically an elevated Muppet movie,” says “M3GAN” director Gerard Johnstone, calling from the editing suite at Blumhouse’s post-production facility in Koreatown, where he’s finalizing the sequel’s cut. He remembers learning about Morot and Tse’s skills in 2019 before the pandemic hit and being convinced by their commitment to lifelike illusion.

“I found that hugely inspiring,” the director says. “I thought, Why are we making something that looks like a toy when these guys can make things that look human? Wouldn’t that be really fun if we went further into the uncanny valley than we’ve ever gone before? And Adrien and Kathy were the perfect people to partner up with on that.”

Tse’s M3GAN designs, these days rendered by a phalanx of digital printers (a single head can take up to 50 hours), became proof of concept and helped green-light the first film, not an everyday occurrence.

In the room with us in Valencia, the dolls eyes’ are hypnotic, carrying a trace of malevolence. “There’s a presence,” Tse offers.

“I thought, Why are we making something that looks like a toy when these guys can make things that look human?” says “M3GAN 2.0” director Gerard Johnstone. “Wouldn’t that be really fun if we went further into the uncanny valley than we’ve ever gone before?”

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Watching them finesse each strand of M3GAN’s hair, every neck tilt and eye motion for our photo shoot, Morot and Tse look like nothing more than devoted stage parents, grooming a promising theater kid. It’s a natural thought that begs an obvious question.

“Oh, for sure,” Tse agrees, owning up to parental affection for her creations. “Look how we care about our dolls. There’s so much pride and you’re protective of making sure that they look good, that they’re well cared for.”

The pair have a 20-year relationship, tying the knot around the time they were working on the first “M3GAN,” a watershed moment for them.

“I was a young flower at the time when we first met,” Tse says without a trace of sarcasm. “He was doing a film and I was just graduating from university. I was working in banking and we met that way. So he was already working in film and he brought me into it, actually.”

“I could have went into banking,” Morot cracks.

Morot and Tse operating animatronics on the set of the first “M3GAN.”

(Geoffrey Short / Universal Pictures)

In each other, they found kindred spirits of perfectionism, going on to corner the Montreal makeup market, which was then booming with Hollywood shoots. Years of work came without days off or vacations.

But they knew a relocation to Los Angeles was inevitable. In the 1990s, Morot had given the town a shot, apprenticing with other designers, learning his craft and drinking in the city until he needed to move back to Canada for family reasons.

“I was really bummed when I had to move back,” he says. “For me, L.A. always felt like home. When I landed here at 21, I was like, oh, my God, everything is here.”

It’s not lost on them that their specialty has come to represent something increasingly rare: an actual craft with an emphasis on real-world tactility in a moment when digital spurts of blood are becoming the norm. Prosthetic makeup effects have become a last stand, a bastion of the old ways.

“This is a massive extinction of the entire movie industry,” Morot says, alarmed. “We’re losing the human process behind it. That’s going to be a tragedy because we’re going to lose the communal experience of movies. We’re already there with all the streaming platforms and YouTube, where people are all on their own, silo-watching. There’s no longer the watercooler discussion about what show is in right now because everybody’s watching their own thing.”

Tse strikes a more pragmatic tone. “I think you have to in a way embrace it,” she says of AI. “Some parts of the industry will unfortunately lose work, but then you’ll have to find your way into another area.”

Morot, right, and Tse prepare a metallic M3GAN for action in “M3GAN 2.0.”

(Geoffrey Short / Universal Pictures)

“M3GAN” and “M3GAN 2.0,” for all their enjoyable sci-fi nuttiness, are expressly about these questions of AI’s prominence. They may be horror movies with training wheels, but they’re also teaching PG-13 audiences to maintain a healthy skepticism about the future. Their lineage goes back to “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the prescient 1970 nightmare “Colossus: The Forbin Project,” about two AIs that take over the world’s nuclear arsenal, a plot that reemerges in the new “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.”

“The reason I did ‘M3GAN’ was out of frustration as a parent,” says Johnstone. “I was bringing my children up in this age of devices and trying to figure out where the balance lies and seeing everyone around me kind of accept it and thinking, Wait, there’s got to be a middle ground here. Why aren’t schools having a conversation?”

If Morot and Tse, both at the bleeding edge of their field, end up making AI palatable for a younger generation, with M3GAN as their mascot, they’re at least doing it the old-school way, with tools that inspired them from the start. They’ve brought out a mechanical head for me to see — it’s actually the first doll they ever built (just without the skin) and it has a rather large speaking cameo in the new movie: an unsettling scene about rebuilding in an underground bunker and saving the world before it’s too late.

“We were lucky,” Tse says — by which she means, lucky that they saved this prototype for the moment. The glistening jawline and lidless eyes are giving unmistakable Terminator vibes. Morot cradles the head, still that boy dreaming of Fangoria covers.

It’s the kind of thing you hold onto in a lab in Valencia.