These actors went through major transformations...
Lily James sat through a daily four-hour hair and makeup routine to play Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy. Makeup, wigs, blue contact lenses, extensive styling, and a prosthetic bodysuit helped James closely recreate Anderson's appearance in the 1990s. Combined with her performance and mannerisms, the transformation made her look remarkably different from her usual on-screen persona. | © Point Grey Pictures/Annapurna Television
Bill Skarsgård's transformation into Pennywise the Dancing Clown was one of the most striking aspects of 2017's It. Pale makeup, bright red hair, contact lenses, prosthetics, and an unsettling jester-like costume made him virtually unrecognizable. The makeup and prosthetic process reportedly took 3-4 hours to complete. | © New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. Pictures
Meryl Streep underwent a substantial transformation to portray Margaret Thatcher across different stages of her life in The Iron Lady. During the younger years of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Streep wore a small nose piece to alter the bridge of her nose. Meanwhile, various prosthetics and "paint work" were applied to turn Streep into a woman in her mid-80s. The production team was reportedly speechless at how accurately they were able to turn the actress into Margaret Thatcher. | © UK Film Council/Canal+
Robert De Niro famously gained a significant amount of weight to portray professional boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. The transformation regimen was unbelievably intense. De Niro reportedly trained long enough that he was able to compete in a trio of real-life boxing matches. The actor also gained 60 pounds for the role. | © Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Inc./United Artists
Charlize Theron underwent a dramatic physical transformation to portray serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. The actress confirmed she had to gain 30 pounds, wear dentures and contact lenses, and have makeup applied to replicate Wuornos' weathered appearance. | © Media 8 Entertainment/DEJ Productions
Ron Perlman's portrayal of the titular character in 2004's Hellboy required extensive prosthetics, makeup, contact lenses, shaved hair, and a large amount of costume work. The result was so distinctive that Perlman's natural appearance was almost irrelevant whenever he appeared as the comic-book character. It allegedly took a four-hour-long process to change Perlman into Hellboy. | © Columbia Pictures
Emma Thompson was transformed through extensive makeup, facial prosthetics, and costume to become the unusual titular character in Nanny McPhee. The exaggerated features gave Thompson an entirely different appearance from her usual screen persona. According to a time-lapse of the entire process, it would take approximately two hours to turn Thompson into McPhee. | © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Universal Pictures
Colin Farrell underwent a remarkable transformation to play Oswald "Oz" Cobb, otherwise known as Penguin, in 2022's The Batman. Heavy facial prosthetics, a bald cap, and a completely different physical manner obscured the actor's rather familiar appearance. Naturally, this left many moviegoers surprised when they found out the Irish actor was responsible for delivering a rather impressive performance. | © DC Films/Warner Bros. Pictures
Tom Hardy's portrayal of Bane relied heavily on his costume, mask, and distinctive voice. His physical appearance also played a major role in the supervillain's look, with the English actor reportedly gaining around 30 pounds to meet the demands of the role. Hardy admitted that it took him "three to four months of lifting and training and eating lots of pizza." | © Syncopy/Warner Bros. Pictures
Tilda Swinton took acting to another level in Suspiria, where she played multiple characters. However, her portrayal of the 82-year-old Dr. Josef Klemperer looked utterly unrecognizable. It required extensive prosthetics and makeup, with the process taking about four hours from start to finish. | © K Period Media/Frenesy Film Company
Margot Robbie looked dramatically different as Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots. The transformation process reportedly took more than three hours each day. It included a head wrap, gelling her hair, applying a bald cap, putting on a wig, and attaching prosthetic scarring. Robbie admitted that it was a "lonely" filming experience, as the cast could barely look at her once she was in costume. | © Perfect World Pictures/Working Title Films
Jared Leto was almost impossible to recognize as Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci. Prosthetic makeup dramatically altered his face, while a three-piece bald cap, padded bodysuit, and Italian accent completed the transformation. The entire process reportedly took a whopping six hours. | © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Scott Free Productions
Gary Oldman became almost unrecognizable as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. A combination of a 6-kilogram fat suit and various prosthetics (including a silicone mask, neck, nose, chin, and ear pieces) transformed him into the British wartime leader. The makeup application reportedly took over four hours every day, with the process often starting at 2:30 a.m. | © Working Title Films/Universal Pictures
Cate Blanchett took on one of the most unusual roles of her career in I'm Not There. The Australian actress portrayed a fictionalized version of Bob Dylan named Jude Quinn. Blanchett's costume required curly brown hair, multiple blazers, and various iterations of Dylan's iconic shades. She stated in an interview that the transformation was so convincing that her husband did not want to kiss her when she was in costume. | ©
Christian Bale gained a significant amount of weight, shaved his head, and wore extensive makeup and prosthetics to portray former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Vice. The transformation was so extensive that Bale looked almost nothing like his usual self, except perhaps the eyes. | © Annapurna Pictures
Actors and actresses can undergo some dramatic transformations for a role. Sometimes it's the result of elaborate prosthetics and makeup, while other performances require drastic weight changes, unusual costumes, or simply adopting a completely different physical presence. That said, here are 15 actors who looked unbelievably unrecognizable in certain movie roles.
