Hey there, movie buffs and tech enthusiasts! If you think the only thing cooler than a superhero’s powers is their flashy costume, think again. We’ve compiled a list of the most jaw-dropping prosthetic transformations in Hollywood’s biggest movies. From scarred wizards to robotic warriors, these prosthetics go beyond just enhancing an actor’s appearance; they completely transform them into unrecognizable characters.
Ryan Reynolds / Deadpool
So, we all know Ryan Reynolds is a total heartthrob, right? But in Deadpool, he went from hot to… not so much. Thanks to some gnarly special effects makeup, Reynolds transformed into the scarred vigilante.
To make it look even more realistic, the makeup team had to pile on layer after layer of prosthetics – NINE silicon pieces just on his noggin alone. That’s dedication, folks! And to think, all we need is a good hair day to feel like a superhero.
Johnny Depp / Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp had a lot of input into his Mad Hatter makeup in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. He researched and found out about Hatter’s Disease, which was caused by toxic chemicals used in hat-making.
So, they made his skin super pale and added orange accents. Depp wanted to look like a madman who had been exposed to noxious fumes, and they nailed it.
Angelina Jolie / Salt
In the movie Salt, Angelina Jolie goes undercover as a man to throw off the bad guys. Let’s just say it was a pretty convincing disguise. Apparently, Jolie’s son Maddox even came to the set and didn’t recognize her until she said: “Mad.”
Can you imagine being such a good actor that your kid can’t spot you? But not everyone was a fan of her manly makeover — Brad Pitt allegedly refused to kiss her while she was all done up. Hey, we get it, Brad. Sometimes it’s hard to smooch someone wearing a fake mustache.
Richard Brake / Game of Thrones
Creating a character for a movie or TV show isn’t always a quick and easy process. Just ask the Night King from Game of Thrones. His look took weeks to design! According to Barrie Gower, the prosthetic designer, “It’s such a complex department, and the builds that go into these things are quite time-consuming.”
For example, they had to make a cast of the Night King’s head and face molds, which took a whopping six weeks. That’s not even counting the hours Richard Brake spent sitting in the makeup chair to bring the character to life. Talk about commitment!
Naomi Grossman / American Horror Story
Naomi Grossman’s transformation into Pepper on American Horror Story was seriously impressive. And even though it took some time to complete, Grossman loved every minute of the process. She recognized the serious talent and artistry that went into creating such an intricate look.
Hey, who wouldn’t feel lucky to be a part of such a cool show? The transformation process was like a work of art, and Grossman was lucky enough to be the canvas. All we can say is bravo, Naomi!
Roddy McDowall / Planet of the Apes
Transforming the cast for Planet of the Apes was a monumental task requiring much prosthetic work. John Chambers was the top dog for makeup artistry for the movie, and he wanted all the actors to know what they were getting into before signing on.
Apparently, many actors passed on the opportunity once they heard how much time was needed for makeup. But luckily, Chambers and producer Arthur Jacobs agreed that the actors needed to be somewhat visible under all that hair and makeup, so viewers could still relate to the characters.
Johnny Depp / Black Mass
In the movie Black Mass, Johnny Depp transformed into James “Whitey” Bulger, an Irish-American crime boss. The makeup team went all out to make Depp look like the real deal, even using bald caps with glued-on hair.
They didn’t want to mess with Depp’s luscious locks. Who would? And to really make those baby blues pop, they added some blue contacts. Talk about a full-on transformation!
Jack Nicholson / Batman
So, in 1989, Jack Nicholson took on the iconic role of the Joker in Batman, and the makeup team had to work hard to get his look just right. Lead makeup artist Nick Dudman took loads of pictures of Jack’s expressions to nail the prosthetics.
But the real challenge was finding a white that didn’t make him look like a ghost, especially against the dark set. No wonder they say it takes a village to make a movie!
Charlize Theron / Monster
Whoa, did you see Charlize Theron in the movie Monster? Talk about a transformation! She went from having perfect skin to looking like she’s been sunbathing for decades. But here’s the catch — it was all thanks to some special makeup.
Apparently, Theron had to gain weight for the role, so her face would look more realistic. Then the makeup team came in and completely revamped her face. They gave her some wild eyebrows, discolored veins, freckles, capillaries — you name it! You gotta give it to them, they did a pretty convincing job.
Eddie Redmayne / The Theory of Everything
Eddie Redmayne’s transformation in The Theory of Everything was pretty awesome, right? He played a young Stephen Hawking, and as the movie progressed, his character had to show the physical effects of ALS.
Jan Swell was the lead makeup artist for the movie, and she had her work cut out for her. She studied pictures of Hawking from different times in his life to create accurate makeup changes. To achieve this, she used different mouths and earpieces to show the various stages of Hawking’s life. Talk about some great prosthetic skills!
Nicole Kidman / The Destroyer
Nicole Kidman in The Destroyer was amazing, but it wasn’t only because of her acting skills that this role stood out. It’s also the total transformation! They made her look like a middle-aged woman who’s been through some serious stuff — sun damage, sleep deprivation, stress; you name it.
The makeup team did an amazing job of bringing her character to life. Of course, it helps that Kidman is a great actor too, but the makeup really sealed the deal.
Kelly Stables / The Ring Two
Whoa, in The Ring Two, Kelly Stables went from cute to creepy with the help of some serious prosthetics. At just 4’9″ tall, she looked like a little girl gone wrong.
Her makeup team had to cover her from head to toe with prosthetics on her hands, feet, face, and neck to create an unsettling effect. The prosthetics were designed to make it look like her skin had been soaking in water for way too long. Talk about a transformation!
Ralph Fiennes / Harry Potter
Hey Potterheads! After waiting for three whole films, we finally got to see the big reveal of how Voldemort would look in the Harry Potter movies. Boy, did the makeup team go all out! They had to make his skin look like it was almost see-through, and they even edited his nose out digitally.
Instead of regular nostrils, they gave him slits to make him look more snake-like. They used eyebrow blockers, fake teeth, fake nails, and vein tattoos to bring the Dark Lord to life.
Jim Carrey / How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Oh boy, Jim Carrey really committed to becoming the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They gave him a whole new face using prosthetics, which took a lot of work! Richard Baker, the head makeup artist, spilled the beans on the process.
First, they had to clean Jim’s face so the prosthetics would stick. Then, they applied the prosthetics and a green base layer. Next came the yellow and purple shades to give the Grinch some depth. Finally, they added some hairpieces to really make him look furry and festive. Talk about dedication to a role!
Jared Leto / Suicide Squad
Jared Leto’s Joker in Suicide Squad was no walk in the park for the makeup crew. Three hours of makeup every day just to get that crazy clown look! But you gotta hand it to Leto; it helped him get in the zone and stay there.
They even had a whole department dedicated just to his face! It’s a good thing Leto had the patience because compared to Heath Ledger’s one-hour makeup and Joaquin Phoenix’s 15 minutes, he had it rough!
Nicholas Hoult / X-Men: First Class
Hey, did you know that the special effects makeup for Beast in X-Men: First Class was made by Studio ADI? According to makeup artist Alec Gillis, they aimed for a lion-like appearance, which differed significantly from Kelsey Grammer’s portrayal of the character in the original trilogy.
To make it more lifelike, they chose fur rather than hair. He also had feline textures applied, which made him appear feral. Warm tones were applied in post-production to make the skin appear less monochrome. Overall, the makeup was fairly intricate, but the character came to life afterward.
Ian Scott / Game of Thrones
Anthrax’s guitarist, Ian Scott, appeared in Game of Thrones as a White Walker. Talk about a dream come true!
Scott was totally fascinated by horror and fantasy movie makeup since he was a wee lad, so he was stoked to undergo his transformation. The makeup artists on the show are seriously talented, so it’s no surprise that Scott loved the process.
Ron Perlman / Hellboy
Ron Perlman went through an insane transformation to play Hellboy. He picked Jake Garber, a master of art direction, animatronics, and puppetry, to handle the intense makeup work. The prosthetics covered Perlman’s entire face, except for his eyelids, and it took four hours to apply!
They even painted his body red and used tons of shading to make it look legit. We don’t know about you, but we don’t think we could handle sitting in a makeup chair for that long!
John Hurt / Elephant Man
Back in the ’80s, John Hurt took on a daunting role in the movie Elephant Man. He had to wear so many layers of prosthetics that it made his head spin. Literally. He said, “I think they finally managed to make me hate acting.”
The movie tells the story of John Merrick, who was born with serious deformities in the 1800s. Unfortunately, people weren’t very accepting back then, so he was treated like a sideshow attraction for most of his life.
Karen Gillan / Guardians of the Galaxy
Karen Gillan’s transformation as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy was so intense that even her closest friends wouldn’t recognize her! Makeup artist David White compared it to a five-piece puzzle.
When Gillan was auditioning for the role, she was told she’d have to shave her head, and thinking she wasn’t going to get the part, she agreed. But after a few screen tests, reality set in, and she found out she was really going to have to part ways with her locks.
John Rhys-Davies / Lord of the Rings
Gimli, son of Glóin! John Rhys-Davies must have had some serious patience to sit through hours of prosthetic work to become the stout dwarf. But did you know that Rhys-Davies had doubts about taking the role? He thought the movie would be a total flop and didn’t want to spend years in prosthetics for nothing.
But boy, was he wrong! Plus, did you catch that hilarious trick he played on set? Rhys-Davies, missing a finger in real life, used a prosthetic one for the character and would go around with fake blood to prank his fellow cast and crew members. What a cheeky guy!
Robin Williams / Mrs. Doubtfire
For his role in Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams wore a complete set of prosthetics because he would do anything for a good laugh. Even though it took a while to put everything on, the result was worth it.
Even in the movie, there is a sequence where you can watch the transition take place. Because of all the sweat and dirt during filming, Williams had to wear eight layers of foam latex pieces on his head, which had to be rebuilt weekly. Not to mention how long it took to take everything off at the end of the day!
Josh Brolin / Deadpool 2
Josh Brolin went all out for his role as Cable in Deadpool 2, and the makeup team had their work cut out for them. The makeup designer Bill Corso said it was even more complicated than Deadpool’s look.
They had to create a biomechanical body look that made it seem like Brolin was morphing into the character. Unlike the Terminator, Cable was infected with a disease that turned his skin into metal, so they had to make it look like he was constantly mutating. It sounds like a tough job, but the final result was worth it!
Tilda Swinton / The Grand Budapest Hotel
Let’s chat about how the makeup artists achieved Tilda Swinton’s grandmother-like appearance for The Grand Budapest Hotel. The makeup artist, Mark Coulier, has experience changing people’s looks because he has worked on films like Harry Potter.
Coulier utilized a gentle silicone rubber that matched Swinton’s skin color perfectly to make Madame appear like an octogenarian. And what’s this? They received an Oscar for their outstanding effort! The hairstylist Frances Hannon added a great touch by applying the lipstick sloppily as if Madame had done so herself.
Angelina Jolie / Maleficent
Let’s take a look at Angelina Jolie’s transformation into Maleficent. The makeup team went all out for this one, using prosthetics and fake teeth to really make her look like the mistress of all evil. Disney even gave us a sneak peek at the process; let us tell you, it was no easy feat.
First, they had to braid her hair tight to fit into the iconic horned headpiece. Then, they added prosthetics to her cheeks to give them those sharp edges that we all know and love. Last but not least, they popped in some fangs for the perfect finishing touch. Honestly, it’s a wonder Angelina Jolie even recognized herself by the end of it!