10 unexpected transformations of famous actors

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker recalls the amazing work of the make-up artists and the artists themselves.

There are many films in which the actors change beyond recognition. Sometimes they themselves worked on their appearance (for example, Christian Bale is famous for this), and sometimes it is the merit of the make-up artists and the film crew.

1. The machinist

• USA, Spain, 2004.
• Psychological thriller.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Trevor Resnick hasn't slept for a year. He stopped distinguishing dream from reality and turned into a living skeleton. Trevor is tormented by nightmares in reality, they gradually begin to influence his daily life. The hero realizes that he is going crazy.

Christian Bale is sometimes referred to as the Transformer Actor. He basically refuses to use overlays and computer graphics, actually changing his body for the next role. It all started with the movie "The Machinist".

To create the image of Trevor Resnick, the actor lost 30 kg and brought himself literally to exhaustion.

2. Dark times

• UK, 2017.
• Biography, drama, military.
• Duration: 125 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain at the beginning of World War II and was forced to immediately make a difficult decision. Despite the fear of the people and the successes of the fascists, Churchill refused to agree with Hitler and called on the British to fight.

For his role as Prime Minister, stunning actor Gary Oldman received the long-awaited Oscar. And there is no doubt that he deserved the award. After all, Oldman not only showed all his acting qualities, but literally turned into a real Churchill.

To do this, the specialists had to create special silicone linings and each shooting day for a long time to change not only the body, but also the face of the actor. In total, Gary Oldman spent over 200 hours in the makeup chair. Of course, the work of the make-up artists was also awarded an Oscar.

3. Monster

• USA, Germany, 2003.
• Biography, melodrama, crime, thriller.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

This biographical crime melodrama tells about the life of a prostitute Eileen Wuornos. The harsh conditions and perpetual disorder of life led to a breakdown, and she became the second female serial killer in US history.

Director Patty Jenkins made a very bold step: she invited one of the main beauties of cinema, Charlize Theron, to play the role of an unpleasant and degraded woman. But she reacted to the new image with all the attention. The actress put on 10 kilograms and studied Wuornos' diaries. And make-up artists added lenses, dentures and plastic makeup to this.

This role brought Charlize Theron "Oscar" - film academics appreciated both an incredible transformation and excellent acting.

4. American Scam

• USA, 2013.
• Comedy, crime.
• Duration: 138 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Swindlers Irving Rosenfeld and Sidney Prosser have been working in pairs for several years and are falling in love with each other more and more. They sell fake paintings and make illegal loans. But one day their affairs are threatened: an undercover FBI agent uncovered a fraudulent scheme and began to blackmail the criminals. Then Syd decides to have an affair with the enemy.

Another metamorphosis of Christian Bale. For a film based on a real-life investigation, this acclaimed Hollywood beau put on weight and made some not-so-appealing bald patches on his head. But the reincarnation was worth it: the role brought him nominations for Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and other film awards.

5. Power

• USA, 2018.
• Comedy, drama, biography.
• Duration: 132 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

US President George W. Bush invites Dick Cheney to become Vice President. A unique gift of persuasion, a sharp mind and connections help him to take control of the state into his own hands, while remaining in the shadows.

And one more striking reincarnation of Bale. And, most likely, the latter. For the role of Dick Cheney, many predicted the actor "Oscar", but body transformations greatly undermined Bale's health, and he promised to stop such experiments soon.

I can no longer continue like this. I really can't. My death is looking straight into my face.

Christian Bale in an interview with The Times

6. Black Mass

• USA, 2015.
• Drama, crime.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

This crime film is dedicated to Whitey Bulger - the famous gangster from Boston. One of the most wanted and dangerous criminals in the United States has achieved his power largely thanks to a lucrative deal with the FBI.

They tried to make the story based on real events as believable as possible: the picture was filmed in Boston, studied photographs and tried to copy the fashion of that time. But the main burden fell on Johnny Depp, who played Bulger.

The actor's skull was scanned, and then silicone pads were made according to its shape, which did not interfere with Depp's facial expressions. I also had to change the shape of the eyebrows and make up the face, shifting the focus to the nose. The hairline was pushed back, giving the actor a bald spot, and a natural gray wig was added to this. And all this for the sake of maximum similarity with Bulger.

7. Suspiria

• USA, Italy, 2018.
• Thriller, horror.
• Duration: 152 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

An American dancer comes to Germany in the 70s to enroll in a ballet school. But it turns out that the teachers of this institution are witches who worship ancient goddesses. And the heroine realizes that she can become their new victim if she does not solve the secret that is hidden within the walls of the school.

This film is interesting because Tilda Swinton played three roles in it at once. First, she appears in the form of one of the teachers, then in the form of the creepy Helena Marcos. But her third role was kept secret for a long time.

First, the director said that the psychiatrist Josef Klemperer was played by an unknown actor Lutz Ebersdorf. But in fact, it turned out to be the same Swinton.

The actress was put on special makeup for 4 hours a day and even made male genitals for one of the final scenes. In the original, it is given out by a voice. But if you watch a film in dubbing, it is almost impossible to recognize a famous actress in an elderly man.

8. Gold

• USA, 2016.
• Drama, thriller.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

Kenny Wells has been trying to find gold for several years, but to no avail. One day he meets the same loser and becomes his partner. Suddenly, partners discover the largest gold deposit in Indonesia. But immediately huge global companies are involved in the division.

Over the years, Matthew McConaughey has played many different roles. A few years before Gold, he lost a lot of weight to star in the Dallas Buyers Club. But in the role of Kenny Wells, he was able to surprise even longtime fans: the actor appeared in the form of a ridiculous balding fat man. To do this, he gave up all sports and gained more than 20 kilograms.

My favorite food is cheeseburgers, so I ate them all the time. I made cheeseburgers at home, went to all these fast food restaurants that I had never been to before. In general, cheeseburgers and beer did their job.

Matthew McConaughey in an interview with Hello!

At the time of filming, McConaughey weighed about 100 kilograms. According to the actor, the weight gain turned out to be easy and almost festive for the family: they ate pizza when they wanted. But getting back into shape turned out to be very difficult.

9. J. Edgar

• USA, 2011.
• Biography, drama.
• Duration: 137 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

The film tells about the head of the FBI John Edgar Hoover. In old age, he takes up writing memoirs and recalls the events of his personal and social life. Once he rose to the very heights of power, defended the truth and fought enemies. But he often distorted the truth and broke the rules.

There are several timelines in the film. And therefore, the leading actor Leonardo DiCaprio spent part of the shooting days in his "normal" form, and for the other part he had to do the make-up of an old man, an artificial bald spot and wear special fat pads.

Everything turned out very naturally, only young eyes betrayed the actor. Although this can be considered part of the plot - Hoover's ideas seem to never age.

10. Chapter 27

• USA, 2007.
• Drama.
• Duration: 80 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 7.

The film tells about December 8, 1980, when Mark Chapman shot John Lennon. A few days before the tragedy, the mental state of the future killer deteriorated greatly. Having committed a crime, he remained to wait for the police, reading the novel "The Catcher in the Rye."

Jared Leto dares to play one of the most iconic killers in the entire world of music. But the thin and pumped-up artist did not at all look like a rather fat Chapman. Therefore, for the role, the musician and actor had to gain more than 30 kg.

As a vegetarian, he was rumored to dine on olive oil soy ice cream every night and even temporarily returned to alcohol to slow down his metabolism. Such experiments on the body were not in vain - as a result, the actor developed gout.