16 Unique and Impressive On-Screen Transformations
Many movies require actors and actresses to wear costumes or to apply basic makeup to take on a specific role. Some directors may even require an actors and actresses to change their hair color or lose weight. Few movies, however, require its stars to undergo massive transformations for their roles-a select few of which are unique to the point that they create a memorable experience in and of themselves. From prosthetic body parts to changing one’s race, gender or species, these are the most unique transformations that actors have undergone for their on-screen performances.
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
In the film adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s famous children’s book , Pitt plays a character that ages backwards. He went several transformations for this film, and it is not until the end do female movie goers get to see the Brad Pitt they are used to. Certainly different than PItt’s role in Fight Club.
Heath Ledger – Batman: The Dark Knight
Heralded as Ledger’s career defining performance, his portrayal of The Joker was quite different than that of his precursor, Jack Nicholson. A nice touch was the subtler green hair, an overall more disturbed and disheveled appearance, and the “Chelsea Grin” facial scars. His portrayal of The Joker could easily be regarded as the only character in this franchise capable of giving children nightmares.
Charlize Theron – Monster
Theron takes a break from being unbelievably hot by gaining weight, aging 25 years, and not wearing make up. And the denouement of her portrayal of a lesbian prostitute-turned-serial killer character, is the bad fitting jeans that moms used to wear in the early 1990s. Definitely a change of pace for Theron, and a look that we hope to not see her embrace again in the coming years, or ever.
Emma Thompson – Nanny McPhee
In this film, Thompson plays a haggard, wart-covered, and uni-browed nanny whose unflattering characteristics vanish upon the children entrusted to her care learning to mind her. She is almost unrecognizable until then end of the movie, which makes you go…”Oh yeah…it’s Emma Thompson.”
Mike Myers – The Cat in the Hat
For The Cat in The Hat, Myers had the distinction of playing Dr. Seuss’ most famous character, and donned a full cat suit and whiskers in order to complete the transformation. For this film, makeup guru Rick Baker was enlisted, who also did the makeup and special effects consulting on Hellboy and Norbit, among others.
Jim Carrey – The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
After filming The Mask, Carrey swore off future films involving intense make-up, but claims he was unable to pass on this role. Reportedly, the makeup and costume donned by Carrey for this film took between 3-8 hours to complete. This unique transformation seems as if it could not have been executed successfully, had it been anyone but Carrey.
Rebecca Romijn– X Men
Romijn’s makeup in X Men, was the culmination of the work of four make-up artists, a hundred small silicon prosetetics, lots of body paint, and nine hours of application per use. The end result is completely worth it. According to Romijn, for X Men 2, the application time was shortened to six hours, which helped her from becoming an evil bitch woman.
Gwenyth Paltrow – Shallow Hal
Gwenyth Paltrow plays the love interest of Hal (Jack Black) in this 2001 comedy about a shallow man who eventually falls in love with a very fat (but inwardly beautiful woman), because he is hypnotized into believing she is outwardly beautiful. The application of her body suit and accompanying make-up took four hours each time. The upside of seeing Paltrow wearing a fat suit in this fim, is also getting to see her real body in a thong.
Ron Pearlman – Hell Boy
Ron Pearlman is well known for having donned makeup and prosethetics for roles (Beauty and the Beast), but most impressive was what he became for the filming for the Hellboy Franchise. Most of his red body suit was made of red latex, and the costume itself took 4 hours per application. The upside for Pearlman, is that in this role, he got to be the baddest of all badasses.
Eddie Murphy – Norbit
For Norbit, Murphy enlisted the work of Rick Baker – with whom he worked on The Nutty Professor and Coming to America – to help create a multitude of other characters, all played by Murphy. Probably the most outrageous of these, was “Rasputia Latimore”, an outrageously sex-crazed and obese woman, who becomes the overbearing wife of the film’s eponymous star. The body suit donned by Murphy for this role (see above) is definitely a masterpiece in and of itself.
Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder
Tom Cruise’s cameo performance in Tropic Thunder surprised most moviegoers, and arguably stole the show with his depiction of a greedy and ruthless Hollywood producer. For this role, Cruise’s diet-coke addicted “Les Grossman” donned a fat suit, bald wig, chest hair mat and prosthetic hands, among others. It is widely speculated that the inspiration for this character was the human penis (a dick). Which makes a lot of sense if you were to think about.
Robin Willimas – Mrs. Doubtfire
Robin Williams portrayal as Mrs Doubtfire in this 1993 comedy was so believable, that it made most people wonder if dressing drag was Williams’ regular routine. Interestingly, the prosthetic mask used in the film (which famously goes flying into the street), was actually a prop; Williams’ real facial makeup was a composite of eight separate pieces and a whole lot of blush.
John Travolta – Hairspray
In Hairspray, Travolta gives a surprisingly convincing performance as “Edna”, a character he envisioned to be Sophia Loren…if she were to gain 200 lbs. This role required Travolta to undergo five hours of extensive make up and prosthetics to complete his transformation. He even wore high heels in a number of scenes, which begs wondering how he was able to do so as effortlessly as he did. Experience?
Eric Stoltz – Mask
Based on a true story, Eric Stoltz plays a character whose mother is played by Cher, so naturally a serious physical disfigurement is to be expected. However, in this film he portrays more specifically a child suffering from craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. The massive prosthetic cranium earned Michael Westmore & Zoltan Elek an Academy Award for Best Makeup in 1985.
Selma Blair – A Dirty Shame
The normally small-chested Blair portrays a stripper named “Ursula Udders” in this 2004 offbeat film. The prosthetic breasts used in the film required four hours of make-up. For the nude scene, her ‘nude’ version of the prosthetic breasts cost $5,000 and the studio’s lighting was so bright that the film only had several hours to film before the lights started to crack them. It was essentially a one-time use set, that were discarded shortly after.
John Matuszak – The Goonies
The one-time professional football player Matuszak famously transformed into everyone’s favorite childhood freak, Lotney “Sloth” Fratelli, in Spielberg’s 1986 The Goonies. The application of his make up – which was quite groundbreaking at the time – took a total of five hours per application. Well worth it. Baby Ruth!
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On February 9th 2009, dr. monkey wrote:
where the hell is john hurt for “the elephant man”?
On February 9th 2009, ryan wrote:
Excellent list. Obviously you missed some, but if you included every single great make up job over the last few decades the list would be 20+ pages easy.
I will say, abe’s makeup is more impressive in Hellboy.
On February 9th 2009, Mandi wrote:
Christian Bale in the Machinist is also another great transformation!!
On February 9th 2009, GrammaB wrote:
What about Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man?
On February 9th 2009, Ante wrote:
Tim Curry in Legend is one of my favorites.
On February 9th 2009, GFYM wrote:
The Goonies was in cinemas in 1985 not 1986.
On February 9th 2009, tmx wrote:
don’t forget about TOOTSIE!!! with dustin hoffman ;)
On February 9th 2009, Duane Storey wrote:
Uhh, what about The Fly?
On February 9th 2009, dannyp323 wrote:
It’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
On February 9th 2009, tk wrote:
Where is Robert DeNiro? – Raging Bull
Where is Tom Hanks? – Castaway
These are transformations that show a dedication to the character and craft – not just 4 hours in the make up chair.
On February 9th 2009, R wrote:
what about spider-man!?
On February 9th 2009, Zachary wrote:
Deniro again in Cape Fear.
On February 9th 2009, CC wrote:
What about Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie?
On February 9th 2009, John wrote:
Planet of the apes…
On February 9th 2009, will wrote:
What the fuck, has no one here ever seen the machinist? ripped in equilibrium, nearly dead in the machinist back to ripped for batman begins. all in like three years? that should be on the fucking top of this list
On February 9th 2009, John wrote:
Paul Giamatti in new Planet of the Apes
On February 9th 2009, Terry wrote:
Just to correct a glaring error: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is not a “famous children’s book” at all but one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s more obscure short stories. Only 21 pages long, it tells a much different tale than the filmed adaptation.
The Benjamin Button of the short story is born an old man to a wealthy Baltimore hardware store owner, and as he grows “younger” eventually meets a woman whom he marries. But after going off to war and fighting alongside Teddy Roosevelt on San Juan Hill, he returns home a hero, but is now much younger than his wife, and he finds her ugly and repulsive. He abandons her for younger, prettier women, then grows ever younger himself and even more immature. As he grows into a child’s body, his own son takes him in and cares for him until he becomes an infant.
On February 9th 2009, pavi wrote:
its a less makeup more physical transformation
but christain bale in the machinist:
The producers of the film claim that Christian Bale dropped from about 180 pounds in weight down to about 120 pounds in weight to make this film. They also claim that Bale actually wanted to drop down to 100 pounds, but that they would not let him go below 120 out of fear that his health could be in too much danger if he did. His diet consisted of one can of tuna and an apple per day. His 63-pound weight loss is said to be a record for any actor for a movie role. He regained the weight in time for his role in Batman Begins (2005).
On February 9th 2009, Myra wrote:
So you guys need to get over yourselves. This person decides to make a list of transformations and you can’t appreciate it? If you can do it better, than do it yourself! And you expect them to get every single bio right, who cares! This is the internet after all….you expect everything you read to be true??
Once again, get over yourselves…
On February 9th 2009, Greg wrote:
Yeah, Christian Bale did amazing work for the Machinist, and almost equally amazing work for Batman Begins.
On February 9th 2009, marc wrote:
i’m so happy that no one has mentioned nicole kidman and her nose in the hours. she is an imbecile.
On February 9th 2009, Alfred wrote:
If you’ll read the top paragraph, you’ll realize that the criteria was mostly about makeup application, prosthetics, full body suits. Christian Bale in the Machinist more or less did the opposite of any of that. Chill the fuck out. Really great list.
On February 10th 2009, Del Toro wrote:
You forgot Doug Jones… D:
On February 10th 2009, joni wrote:
fun great site of celebs
On February 10th 2009, Cero Kool wrote:
Did anyone noticed that Mike Myers – The Cat in the Hat is not that impressive? The only thing they did is put a furr coat with a hood. Other than that they look exactly the same.
On February 10th 2009, wolf wrote:
I think you should have definitely included Christian Bale in “The Machinist” on your list, for the simple fact that he actually starved himself to death to attain a concentration camp physique and demeanor for the role, now thats commitment!
On February 10th 2009, Biz wrote:
All of these guys are good, but Rebecca Romijn really rules.
On February 10th 2009, cecilia wrote:
!!!! Nicole Kidman in The Hours!
On February 10th 2009, al wrote:
robert downey jr in tropic thunder… couldn’t even recognize him (or tom cruise) at first.
On February 10th 2009, Simple wrote:
wow, those pics r really gr8 transformations. Thx for sharing this article..
On February 11th 2009, MINKIN2 wrote:
I suppose a mention of Lon Chaney is needed here too.
Ok, if he were to be filmed with the high tech cameras of today he wouldn’t stand a chance in the list. But he was the “Man of a Thousand Faces”, and the original master of full face prostetics.
On February 11th 2009, this site sucks wrote:
goonies was directed by richard donner not speilberg.
On February 12th 2009, animated gifs wrote:
Nothing about Christian Bale in The Machinist?
http://files.blog-city.com/files/J04/65051/p/f/christian_bale.jpg
On February 12th 2009, hairy mick wrote:
my ex-wife should be there.when she wore make up she was almost bearable to look at
On February 12th 2009, PJ wrote:
John Cusack and whatserface in Being John Malkovich…
On February 12th 2009, Jeremy LeGrange wrote:
Is this a joke? This article was done like three weeks ago here: http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/4680-guess-who.html
This seems kind of ripped off – and this list seems to be missing some really good ones included on the other list.
On February 12th 2009, alex wolf wrote:
mickey rourke for sin city?
who cares about tom cruise, downey jr. got way more of a makeover in tropic thunder
On February 14th 2009, Kristin wrote:
For those of you who keep insisting that “The Machinist” make this list, please actually look at the criteria for making this list. They’re talking about MAKEUP jobs, not actors transforming their own bodies. Did you not notice that all the actors listed here are wearing prosthetics?
Sheesh!
On February 14th 2009, Occasional Critic wrote:
As long as we’re nitpicking…
“Unique” means “one of a kind.” If there are 16 of them, they’re not unique. They’re just unusual or remarkable.
On February 15th 2009, carlton wrote:
how can you leave have Tom Cruise from Tropic Thunder and not ROBERT DOWNEY JR.?
On February 15th 2009, dan wrote:
How about Nicole Kidman in “The Hours”
On February 15th 2009, Paul Tomlin wrote:
robert downey jr. was the one to pick from tropic thunder, not tom cruise
On February 17th 2009, Jeremy wrote:
wow, good stuff
On February 21st 2009, dar.k wrote:
what about depp in charlie and the choclate factory???
On February 23rd 2009, GENIUS wrote:
This looks like Todd Goldman’s art has come to life! Haha! Great post. Thank you for making my night!
On March 5th 2009, Laz wrote:
Benjamin Button, is not a transformatyion brad pitt did… All the old Benjamin’s are 100 % computer generated. No make up what so ever involved.
They used some other actors to act the body, wearing a blu cap. their head would be replaced by the CGI head later.
there is a video about this on TED talks btw.
On May 7th 2009, black zero wrote:
Brilliant…. I can’t believe some of them….awesome…
On June 9th 2009, sloth wrote:
anyone who is that passionate about talking shit about this list should really find a hobby…
On June 27th 2009, Dj Plasmic Nebula (Medulla Oblongata) wrote:
where’s Arnolds Swarzengger’s Mr. Freeze
and Urma Thurman’s Poins Ivy
and selma Hyack in dust till dawn
On October 5th 2009, ehkilzurocne wrote:
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