Hyperrealistic fake babies: A precision art for the big screen

Behind some of cinema’s most convincing newborns lies not a maternity ward, but a quiet workshop on the outskirts of Paris. At Cinebebe, a specialised brand under Studio Junon, artisans breathe life into lifeless silicone—crafting hyperrealistic prop babies with painstaking detail.

An employee paints on a fake baby's head made for cinema and television created by Cinebebe (Cinebaby), a specialised brand of the Studio Junon -a company creating visual effects- in Saint-Denis, suburbs of Paris. (AFP)

Tucked away in Saint-Denis, just outside Paris, a team at Cinebebe spends their days making babies—but not the kind you’d expect. These are hyper-realistic prop babies, designed for movies and TV shows, where using a real infant might be tricky or unsafe.

An employee cleans fake babies made for cinema and television created by Cinebebe in Saint-Denis, suburbs of Paris. (AFP)

An employee adds mohair to create the hairs on a fake baby head made for cinema and television created by Cinebebe (Cinebaby), in Saint-Denis, suburbs of Paris. (AFP)

The process is surprisingly detailed. Artists start with silicone molds, then paint layers of colour to create lifelike skin tones. They add mohair, strand by strand, to mimic baby hair, and even tiny details like rosy cheeks and glossy toenails aren’t overlooked.

An employee applies mohair to create hair on a fake baby head designed for film and television. This is produced by Cinebebe (Cinebaby), a specialised brand of Studio Junon, a visual effects company based in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. (AFP)

An employee carefully and meticulously paints the toenails of a lifelike baby doll designed for film and television by Cinebebe (Cinebaby) in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. (AFP)

While they may look uncannily real, these prop babies serve a simple purpose—making scenes believable while offering flexibility on set. Whether it’s a close-up of a baby’s hand or a sleeping newborn in the background, Cinebebe’s creations quietly play their part in storytelling.

A final batch of fake babies, dressed in various colours and outfits, arranged in sequence before being dispatched to a film set in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. This photograph shows fake baby hands, made for cinema and television, before the seaming process. It was taken in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. (AFP) Co-Owner and Commercial Director of Cinebebe and Studio Junon Justine Ray Le Solliec poses with fake babies at her studio in Saint-Denis, suburbs of Paris. (AFP) This photograph shows a fake baby's head, legs, and arms after being painted, but before being assembled into the final product. The freshly applied paint on the parts is being dried. (AFP)

At the centre of it all is Justine Ray Le Solliec, Co-owner of Studio Junon, who helps oversee this blend of art and film magic. It’s delicate, detailed work—but when done right, most viewers never realise the baby isn’t real. And that’s exactly the point.