15 Actors Who Completely Changed Their Look for a Role
Some performances are memorable because of what an actor does. Others stand out because of how an actor looks. This list highlights performers who altered their bodies or faces through training, weight change, hair work, prosthetics, or extensive makeup to meet the demands of a specific role.
Each entry shares concrete details on the methods used and the teams behind them. From daily application times to the skills learned on set, these transformations show the planning and discipline that go into building a character for the screen.
Christian Bale as Trevor Reznik in ‘The Machinist’
Bale reduced his weight by more than 60 pounds through a strict diet of minimal calories and careful supervision to portray a factory worker suffering from extreme insomnia in ‘The Machinist’. His reported regimen included black coffee and small portions of tuna and an apple across several months, followed by a monitored return to a higher weight for later projects.
Wardrobe and lighting were planned around his altered frame to emphasize sharp angles and visible bones. Production scheduled scenes to match his energy levels, and stunt coordination was adjusted to protect him during physically risky moments.
Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in ‘Monster’
Theron gained about 30 pounds and worked with a makeup team to apply textured skin effects for ‘Monster’. Prosthetic dental pieces changed her bite and lip shape, and her eyebrows were thinned and lightened to shift her facial balance on camera.
The team used subtle shading rather than heavy highlight to keep skin changes camera ready under varied lighting. Hair was treated to look weathered, and wardrobe selected worn fabrics that sat differently on her changed body to match the real life subject.
Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in ‘Darkest Hour’
Oldman wore a full facial and neck appliance created by Kazu Hiro for ‘Darkest Hour’. The daily application often took around four hours, with a foam bodysuit used to complete Churchill’s silhouette and maintain consistent proportions during long shooting days.
Cigar use was tracked per setup to manage continuity of ash length and teeth staining. The production designed multiple duplicate appliances so edges would stay clean under hot set conditions and frequent dialogue scenes.
Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot in ‘The Batman’
Farrell’s transformation for ‘The Batman’ relied on layered silicone appliances from makeup designer Mike Marino. The build included a nose piece, jowl extensions, a neck blend, and a torso suit that adjusted posture and weight distribution for the Penguin.
Application averaged several hours each day, with a removal routine planned to protect skin during a months long shoot. Camera tests established how oil levels and sheen read on the pieces so the character would look convincing in rain and low light.
Brendan Fraser as Charlie in ‘The Whale’
Fraser used a custom prosthetic suit system created by Adrien Morot for ‘The Whale’. The build used digitally scanned forms and silicone appliances cast to precise thicknesses so joints could flex while maintaining realistic weight and skin movement.
A movement coach collaborated with Fraser to align breath, gait, and joint load with the suit. The team mapped pressure points to prevent skin irritation, and cooling breaks were timed around dialogue and blocking.
Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’
McConaughey lost roughly 47 pounds for ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ under medical guidance. The production’s very limited budget meant makeup and hair worked with minimal resources, so the weight change carried much of the visual storytelling for illness progression.
Shoot days were short to reduce strain. Wardrobe kept a catalog of belt notches and shirt fits so continuity could show gradual decline across out of order scenes.
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in ‘Joker’
Phoenix shed more than 50 pounds for ‘Joker’ through a controlled diet plan. The weight shift changed his posture and gait, which the production incorporated into blocking and framing to show a narrow and contorted silhouette.
The team referenced medical case studies of uncontrollable laughing episodes to shape vocal work and facial strain. Costuming used very thin fabrics that clung to bone structure so movement read clearly in long takes.
Tilda Swinton as Dr. Josef Klemperer in ‘Suspiria’
Swinton performed under extensive prosthetics to portray an elderly male psychotherapist in ‘Suspiria’. Makeup designer Mark Coulier built a full face and neck appliance, ear pieces, hand coverings, and a chest form to create age and gender accurate anatomy.
Voice work focused on breath placement and tempo changes to match the physical build. Wardrobe added insoles and padded socks to widen stance and adjust the center of gravity, which helped align movement with the character’s years.
Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase in ‘In the Heart of the Sea’
Hemsworth followed a severe calorie reduction protocol to drop more than 30 pounds for ‘In the Heart of the Sea’. The plan was scheduled after earlier muscle work so the loss would be visible in the face and arms during open water scenes.
The marine unit coordinated meal timing with sea days to keep energy stable during boat work. Costume teams tracked loosened waistlines and sun wear on fabric to reflect weeks adrift on screen.
Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland in ‘Cast Away’
For ‘Cast Away’, Hanks first gained weight to film the early office scenes, then production paused for many months while he lost about 50 pounds and grew his hair and beard. This schedule allowed the same actor to appear at two very different stages of isolation without digital alteration.
Health monitoring was built into the hiatus plan, and the crew returned with updated lighting tests to handle longer hair and changed skin tone. Props were duplicated to maintain continuity across the time gap.
Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’
Mara cut and dyed her hair, bleached her eyebrows, and received several real piercings for ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. The changes included eyebrow, lip, ear, and nipple piercings that altered how clothes and jewelry sat on her body.
Dialect sessions shaped a clipped rhythm for dialogue, and physical coaching covered typing posture and motorcycle handling. Wardrobe used layered blacks with varied texture so the camera could read detail under low light.
Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’
Zellweger gained roughly 30 pounds for ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ to match the character’s established size on the page. She trained in a British newsroom to study workplace habits and refined a London accent with a vocal coach.
Hair was darkened and cut to a practical length that could be styled quickly for morning rush scenes. Costuming focused on attainable high street pieces that emphasized fit and fabric stretch as weight fluctuated during the shoot.
Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman in ‘Chapter 27’
Leto gained about 67 pounds for ‘Chapter 27’. Reports from the period describe a high calorie routine that led to foot pain and temporary gout symptoms, which affected his movement during production.
Wardrobe added stiff denim and tight collars to emphasize compression around the neck and torso. The camera team framed close shots to highlight fullness in the face and altered breathing patterns.
John Travolta as Edna Turnblad in ‘Hairspray’
Travolta wore a foam fat suit and facial appliances for ‘Hairspray’ to portray a middle aged mother. The build included neck and cheek pieces, a wig set with large rollers, and a dress structure that controlled bounce during dance numbers.
Choreography rehearsals incorporated heels and long skirts so steps could be safely executed. Makeup tracked sweat control so musical lighting would not break the illusion during energetic songs.
Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf in ‘The Hours’
Kidman wore a prosthetic nose and subtle dental work for ‘The Hours’ to match period photographs of the author. The makeup team adjusted the hairline and used fine stippling to alter skin texture for close focus shots.
Costume fittings emphasized looser garments with period correct seams. The production coordinated low key lighting to keep the appliance edges invisible during long dialogue scenes.
Share the transformations you think belong on this list in the comments.
