12 Actors Who Made Unbelievable Transformations for Their Movie Roles

Oftentimes, in movies, a character calls for very specific characteristics. And while the producers could search for someone who looks exactly like the character’s description, they might not be as talented as needed for the role. That’s why they opt to hire super talented actors who are willing to transform however they have to.

1. Emma Thompson

The versatile actress, Emma Thompson, played the wicked character of Miss Trunchbull in the new adaptation of the movie classic. The actress enjoyed every second of playing her character, but it was definitely a challenge as she required a complete physical transformation from head to toe.

Emma had to wear a chin prosthesis, and every day she had to arrive on set at 5 AM so the makeup team of 6 could do a brilliant job of doing her makeup and transforming her into the iconic character.

2. Doug Jones

Doug Jones played 2 of the most iconic characters in the movie Pan’s Labyrinth. He required a complete transformation from head to toe to become The Faun and The Pale Man. It took 5 hours of makeup to transform into each character.

3. Colin Farrell

The actor had fun playing the part and admitted that he used to go to Starbucks in costume to go incognito. With the help of some prosthetics, he managed to transform himself into the famous villain The Penguin. Enjoying this new version of himself, he used to try scaring the life out of his son, who also didn’t recognize him.

4. Helena Bonham Carter

According to tabloids, Helena Bonham Carter has her own unique style. This refers to her characters too. The actress tends to choose the roles of quirky women. Villain Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter film series is among her best work.

This character has become iconic partly thanks to Helena’s efforts. It was she who insisted on making Bellatrix look the way she did in the movies. The actress chose to wear a corset, have messy hair, and have rotten teeth. She also made her character more insane than was written in the screenplay.

But Carter is also great in the roles of kind characters. Fairy Godmother, for example, in the 2015 movie Cinderella is included on the list of the actress’s brightest roles.

5. Jennifer Lawrence

At 31, Jennifer Lawrence has a prominent filmography. She also has an Oscar and a Golden Globe under her belt. She appeared on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list for a few years in a row. The actress takes part in independent movies and in blockbusters. And all of her characters tend to be very different.

In the X-Men film series, Jennifer played Mystique and was almost unrecognizable under the thick layer of her makeup. But she looks totally different in the recent movie Don’t Look Up. She played a doctoral candidate in astronomy who discovered a comet approaching Earth. Both of these works were named the most memorable in the actress’s career by the tabloids.

6. David Harbour

In order to become the famous red character, David Harbour had to undergo a strict training and diet regimen. The intense training sessions included over 10 weeks of prep weightlifting and some mobility work.

He found the physical appearance of the character to be one of the most important characteristics, saying, “During the fittings and make-up tests, I realized that that was not what this character is about. This character is a massive force that needs to move more like a wrestler-turned-MMA-brawler than a ninja.”

7. Tilda Swinton

According to tabloids, Tilda Swinton is one of the best modern Hollywood actresses. She can play a woman in love, a crazy dictator, or a fallen angel. Almost all of her roles attract a lot of attention.

In 2020, Pedro Almodóvar released the movie The Human Voice, starring Swinton. She plays a woman who is speaking on the phone with her ex-lover. Critics praised this work of hers and say that the movie is a “concentrated burst of demented passion.”

But Tilda looks completely different in the post-apocalyptic thriller Snowpiercer where she plays the mad assistant of a train commander. The actress managed to make her character as disgusting as possible, and some of the features were her idea!

8. Christian Bale

Christian Bale played Irving Rosenfeld in American Hustle and Trevor Reznik in The Machinist. For both roles, the actor made transformations that will be remember in the history of cinema.

9. Lena Headey

Lena Headey is best known for her role as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, but her filmography includes other cool characters too. Sarah Connor, for example, who was portrayed by Lena in the TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, was loved by audiences. She was called a “tough leader of people” who would walk through anything to achieve her goals.

In addition, Headey’s best works include Sarah Trevanny in the movie Ripley’s Game, Julia Knight in Fighting with My Family, and Queen Gorgo in 300: Rise of an Empire.

As for the role of Cersei, it brought Lena not only fame and money, but also the hatred of fans. Headey was so convincing in this role that some fans began to think it was for real. So, during an autograph session at Comic-Con, some people were actually snatching their books from her hands to prevent her from signing them.

10. Natalie Portman

One of the pivotal roles in Natalie Portman’s career is Evey in the movie V for Vendetta. For this role, the actress shaved her head and had to work hard on her accent. The audience loved the movie. In an interview, Natalie mentioned that she would gladly play Evey again if the moviemakers decided to film a sequel.

But it was the role of the obsessed Nina Sayers in the movie Black Swan that earned Natalie an Oscar. Portman beautifully demonstrated what a tortured artist endures to achieve perfection.

11. Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey played Ron WoodRoof in Dallas Buyers Club, for which role he had to lose a massive amount of weight.

12. Charlize Theron

In 2003, the movie Monster was released. And Charlize Theron had to change her looks beyond recognition to play the lead role in it. She gained 30 pounds and shaved her eyebrows. Her performance was praised by critics, saying that she was capable of conveying her emotions by just using gestures and a glance.

However, Charlize was upset about the fact that tabloids paid more attention to her external transformation than to her acting. But she proved what she was worth by winning an Oscar for this role.

Theron’s other famous character is Furiosa in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road. Furiosa is a fearless warrior who risks her life to save others. According to tabloids, her character stole the show and even outshone Tom Hardy, who played Max.

Is there any other memorable transformation that was done for a movie that you will never forget?