Jimmy Kimmel Live Costume Designer Rodney Muñoz Dies at 60 — SkimNews
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- Rodney Muñoz, costume designer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, died at age 60 on Oct. 2, according to friend Joe Dietl, who said he suffered "many health issues" after a COVID diagnosis that required a coma and ventilator.
- Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute on Instagram, calling Muñoz "one of the most talented people I've had the pleasure of knowing" whose "tough exterior hid a huge and generous heart," and noting he designed costumes for nearly 30 years starting with The Man Show on Comedy Central.
- Muñoz won a Primetime Emmy in 2010 for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety/Music Program for his work on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which he joined at its 2003 launch after earlier serving as costume designer on The Late Show with David Letterman from 1995 to 2000.
- Born Sept. 4, 1966 in Los Angeles, Muñoz earned his BFA and MFA in costume design at NYU, graduating in 1993, and also worked on NBC's Fear Factor in 2002 and the indie series Where the Bears Are from 2012 to 2018.
- Kimmel's post included behind-the-scenes photos of Muñoz's wardrobe work and personal details, calling him "a devoted son, brother, and Uncle; a great baker," and adding the quip, "No man saw me in my underpants more."
Why it matters: Muñoz shaped the visual identity of Jimmy Kimmel Live! across more than two decades, from its 2003 launch through its current run, earning a 2010 Emmy in the process. His death from long COVID-related complications, per friend Joe Dietl, illustrates how the pandemic continues to claim industry veterans whose contributions happen largely behind the camera.
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