14 Actors Who Drastically Transformed Their Bodies for a Role

Sometimes, actors not only have to get into character but also transform their appearance to the point of being unrecognizable. Here are a few examples of such dramatic transformations for roles. These makeovers show the dedication and commitment actors bring to their craft.

Halle Berry in Never Let Go

The buzz started when Halle posted a behind-the-scenes photo from her upcoming movie, Never Let Go. In the selfie, she looked almost unrecognizable, with disheveled hair and a much more rugged appearance than in her typical glamorous selfies. The armpit hair was fake, and it was all for her role in Never Let Go. The movie reportedly centers around a mother’s fight for survival, and the intense look is meant to capture the raw, gritty nature of her character. According to the actress, the fake armpit hair is just one of the many physical changes she embraced to fully step into the role.

Oscar Isaac in X-Men: Apocalypse

Awakening an ancient mutant is essentially a scary thing to do, given how he looks when he’s angry. For actor Oscar Isaac to do that, he had to don heavy makeup and a costume to portray a centuries-old villain in the 1980s Egypt in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Karen Gillan in Guardians of the Galaxy

They didn't just use bright blue metallic makeup and a lot of prosthetics to transform into the bionic Nebula. Still, Karen Gillan opted to shave her head and say goodbye to her beautiful red locks to get the perfect look in Guardians of the Galaxy. The crew took 15 minutes to put the makeup on and 30 minutes to remove it from Karen, as it was made of 5 different layers.

Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Playing a famous television personality was a challenge for Jessica Chastain, but it didn’t stop her from winning Best Actress at the 2022 Oscars. The silicon cheeks, nose, and chin that really helped transform Jessica into Tammy Faye Bakker were probably worth it. The makeup and prosthetics team also won an Oscar for their superb work.

Danny DeVito in Batman Returns

Becoming one of Batman’s villains needed a cartoonish take on the appearance of the actors. In the comics, Oscar Cobblepot, known as The Penguin, has a small stature and a pointed nose resembling a penguin’s beak. To get this over-the-top look, actor Danny DeVito underwent facial prosthetic applications, fake teeth, and excessive makeup to get the perfect bad guy ensemble.

Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose

French actress Marion Cotillard didn’t spare any time from transforming into renowned singer Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. Aside from the striking facial makeup mixed with acrylic and latex prosthetics she had to wear to mimic Edith’s look, she also donned a bodysuit to appear bulkier.

Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things

The latest season of Stranger Things introduced us to one of the biggest nightmares in Hawkins, Vecna. Vecna is being played by actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who looks and sounds so much different in real life.

Tilda Swinton in The Grand Budapest Hotel

Tilda Swinton is like a chameleon when appearing in her famous roles, and one of them was portraying Madame D. in The Grand Budapest Hotel. To help Tilda look like a wealthy old lady, the makeup crew decided to use rubber silicone to mimic aging skin and added a few details like bright lipstick and a few liver spots.

Eddie Murphy in Coming 2 America

Aside from playing Prince Akeem, Eddie Murphy has had several characters up his sleeve in Coming to America and its sequel, Coming 2 America. Each character had unique facial characteristics that made the crew scratch their heads when it was time for Eddie to switch to another role. Each look had 15 to 20 pieces of prosthetics, and a dozen of wigs prepared.

Renée Zellweger in Judy

A Hollywood legend like Judy Garland deserved an exceptional biopic, and award-winning actress Renée Zellweger pulled it off excellently. Renée had to don a dark wig to match Judy’s hair, a set of fake teeth, brown contact lenses, and thick false lashes to look like the adult Judy. These paid off since Renée got praise for her performance and even won an Oscar in 2020.

Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family

The Addams Family movies are full of so many iconic moments and looks. It even has a massive following today. One of the most legendary characters is the family matriarch Morticia, played by actress Anjelica Huston.

Charlize Theron in Bombshell

Being an A-lister makes it more challenging to vanish on the screen and appear as a whole new person. Charlize Theron did exactly that when she played news anchor Megyn Kelly in the movie Bombshell. The makeup team really went with copying Megyn’s facial features including the nose, eyes, and cheekbones. Charlize even had to wear individual lashes just to get the perfect eye shape.

Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

It is so much fun to spot a cameo from the main star of a film. In this case, Ben Stiller not only played the protagonist Larry Daley. He also went primal as a caveman who came to life in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Ben had to wear prosthetics and a heavy wig to resemble a Neanderthal. His transformation was even documented in a short called Becoming Laaa.

Demi Moore in The Substance

Demi Moore shocked fans by posting a behind-the-scenes photo from the set of the highly talked-about film Substance. The eternally youthful and fit Moore appeared in a completely unrecognizable look.

Take a look at other actors who aren’t afraid to completely transform themselves for a role.