Hey there, movie buffs and tech enthusiasts! If you think the only thing cooler than a superhero’s powers is their flashy costume, think again. We’ve compiled a list of the most jaw-dropping prosthetic transformations in Hollywood’s biggest movies. From scarred wizards to robotic warriors, these prosthetics go beyond just enhancing an actor’s appearance; they completely transform them into unrecognizable characters.
Ryan Reynolds / Deadpool
So, we all know Ryan Reynolds is a total heartthrob, right? But in Deadpool, he went from hot to… not so much. Thanks to some gnarly special effects makeup, Reynolds transformed into the scarred vigilante.
To make it look even more realistic, the makeup team had to pile on layer after layer of prosthetics – NINE silicon pieces just on his noggin alone. That’s dedication, folks! And to think, all we need is a good hair day to feel like a superhero.
Johnny Depp / Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp had a lot of input into his Mad Hatter makeup in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. He researched and found out about Hatter’s Disease, which was caused by toxic chemicals used in hat-making.
So, they made his skin super pale and added orange accents. Depp wanted to look like a madman who had been exposed to noxious fumes, and they nailed it.
Angelina Jolie / Salt
In the movie Salt, Angelina Jolie goes undercover as a man to throw off the bad guys. Let’s just say it was a pretty convincing disguise. Apparently, Jolie’s son Maddox even came to the set and didn’t recognize her until she said: “Mad.”
Can you imagine being such a good actor that your kid can’t spot you? But not everyone was a fan of her manly makeover — Brad Pitt allegedly refused to kiss her while she was all done up. Hey, we get it, Brad. Sometimes it’s hard to smooch someone wearing a fake mustache.
Richard Brake / Game of Thrones
Creating a character for a movie or TV show isn’t always a quick and easy process. Just ask the Night King from Game of Thrones. His look took weeks to design! According to Barrie Gower, the prosthetic designer, “It’s such a complex department, and the builds that go into these things are quite time-consuming.”
For example, they had to make a cast of the Night King’s head and face molds, which took a whopping six weeks. That’s not even counting the hours Richard Brake spent sitting in the makeup chair to bring the character to life. Talk about commitment!
