SFX hair and makeup has come a long way in film, and it’s one of the most important factors in immersing the audience in a story. When makeup and hair are done right, an actor truly seems like they are their character. It’s an under-appreciated art form that takes a lot of time and effort from everyone — including the actors!
Most viewers associate makeup and hair transformations with sci-fi, fantasy, and even horror movies, but plenty of movies use transformative SFX. If you’ve ever watched a film with an actor you love and didn't recognize them right away, you can most likely thank the hair and makeup teams! Some artists put in work to make an actor look completely alien, while others aim for an impressively realistic look. Check out these actor transformations that required a lot of hair and makeup.
9 Doug Jones as Pan — Pan's Labyrinth
Actor Doug Jones has donned a wide variety of costumes in his career; from Abe Sapien in Hellboy to the Silver Surfer, he's famous for his roles as wild, otherworldly characters. One of his most iconic characters is Pan, a wise and mysterious faun in Pan's Labyrinth. The actor is totally unrecognizable in this ensemble, complete with massive horns, a sculpted facial prosthetic, and goat legs. Jones used the goat legs like stilts, and his feet were covered in green to blend in with the green screen backdrop.
8 Ron Perlman as Hellboy — Hellboy
With a recognizable appearance and unmistakable voice, Ron Perlman was the perfect choice to play the big red guy in Hellboy. Apparently, the makeup application process for his Hellboy persona took around four hours! Most of his face and chest are covered by a prosthetic, and he wore a bodysuit to make his character appear massive and muscular.
7 Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter — Alice in Wonderland
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland remake added a dark, fantastical tone to the story. This effect bleeds through into character design, especially for Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter. With enormous fake eyebrows, layers of white foundation and an ultra-curly red wig, you might not recognize the man at first! Fun fact: some highlights and detailing on his face were actually applied with an airbrush for a soft, blended look.
6 Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Popular on Broadway and in cinema, Ralph Fiennes is iconic and very handsome out of costume. His appearance as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise — first in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — is a different story! Fiennes' nose was digitally removed instead of being covered with a prosthetic for a striking effect, which left viewers unsettled. Fiennes also got a false forehead piece to keep him from having to shave his brows during application.
5 The Cast of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
An absolute cult classic, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar shows the importance of good costume design outside of horror and sci-fi. Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo are not only unrecognizable in full drag, but they're also gorgeous. The actors are both over-the-top and believably feminine, traits they honed under the masterful guidance of professional drag queen coaches.
4 Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique — X-Men: First Class
Playing a shapeshifter is enough of a challenge, but Mystique's character in X-Men: First Class was a beast of its own. Actress Jennifer Lawrence told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that the makeup process originally took around 8 hours, but was thankfully reduced to 3 thanks to a new bodysuit. Lawrence usually stood or sat on a bicycle while the makeup team worked on her, and everyone's hard work shows in the films.
3 Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger — A Nightmare on Elm Street
No stranger to the lengthy process of horror movie makeup, Robert Englund is revered for his performance as Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Englund had to use several prosthetics to achieve the final look, and he goes into detail on the process in the 2017 Nightmares in the Makeup Chair documentary. The idea for Freddy's horrifying knife glove was his idea, and it came from watching his cat slice away at furniture. The actor was inspired and decided that clawed animals were probably one of humanity's most innate fears.
2 Karen Gillan as Nebula — Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy became an instant hit upon release in 2014, and many of the characters relied on special effects makeup. Out of everyone, Karen Gillan's role as Nebula takes the cake — she had to completely shave her head to make way for prosthetics, spent hours being painted, and wore external pieces on her arms and around her left eye. The final look is breathtakingly realistic and showcases Nebula's inherent elegance and power.
1 Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye — The Eyes of Tammy Faye
The Eyes of Tammy Faye has garnered widespread (and well-deserved) acclaim, especially for Jessica Chastain's portrayal of the titular protagonist. Another fantastic example of more realistic SFX makeup, the actress wore wigs, prosthetics, and heaps of makeup to perfect her look. Chastain revealed to ET Canada that she feared having her face covered would limit her ability to get in character, but her awards and nominations for the role would suggest otherwise.