These actors who've been aged for a role

04/12/2020

On television, as in cinema, there are many physical transformations for the actors, who often have to transform themselves to embrace the part offered to them. Let's take a look at actors who were aged in order to play a character older than them.

Carice Van Houten

Famous for her role as Melisandre in Game of Thrones, Carice Van Houten is truly unrecognizable at the end of Episode 1 of Season 6. Her character takes off her magic necklace and suddenly changes into a very old woman. A staggering shock to the spectators, who saw in a split second the Dutch actress go from 40 to around 280 years old. For the purpose of this scene, the actress had to stay more than 6 hours in the hands of the makeup artists in order to modify her face. Her body, on the other hand, was doubled by that of an old lady.

Mahershala Ali

In season 3 of True Detective, Mahershala Ali plays Wayne Hays, a police officer investigating missing children. The series then takes place over three different periods, namely 1980, 1990 and 2015. The two-time Oscar-winner thus had to embody his character at different ages: in his thirties, his forties and around his 70 years. A remarkable performance to which the members of the makeup team had to put all their talent to use. To help them out, the 46-year-old actor showed them many photos of his grandfather, so he could use his features to help him grow old with as much credibility as possible. With the wig, the prostheses and many other devices, the resemblance is truly striking.

Mandy Moore

In the This Is Us series, Mandy Moore plays Rebecca Pearson at different stages of her life. The 36-year-old actress slips into character in her youth and in her old age, which involves a lot of preparation work. Before every shooting day with her older version, the actress is with the makeup team for 3 hours and a half. Among the prostheses under the chin, on the cheeks, between the eyes and numerous layers of powder, she goes through a real metamorphosis every time. It takes her between 45 minutes and an hour to remove everything once the takes are over.

Cameron Britton

While in season one of The Umbrella Academy, Cameron Britton played a hitman in his prime, his character has been aged heavily in season two. Beard and bleached hair, makeup on skin and deep wrinkles, the 34-year-old American surprised fans with his new old-timer look. This look, perfectly designed to justify a new leap in time, also allowed him to touch the spectators. A double winning shot!

Russell Crowe

Chosen to take the role of Roger Ailes in the Loudest Voice miniseries, Russell Crowe had to go through a crazy physical transformation. In order to look like the former Fox director, the New Zealand actor first put on a few pounds. Insufficient weight gain, which further compelled him to wear padded costumes to best match his character's build. The tech team then did a great job using prostheses and other devices to create a truly disturbing resemblance to the real Roger Ailes. Knowing that the series takes place over a period between 1996 and 2016, it was also necessary to adjust the makeup according to the scenes. The actor was therefore able to see himself aging during the filming.

Edgar Ramirez

The lead actor of American Crime Story season 2, Edgar Ramirez faced a real challenge to slip into the shoes of fashion designer Gianni Versace. Although he was already 40 years old at the time, the actor had to play the famous Italian designer at different stages of his life until his death at the age of 50. The Venezuelan actor then put on a few pounds, notably by eating pasta and polenta, to fill the artist's costume. Moreover, his thick hair was concealed with a bald prosthesis and then covered with four wigs, depending on the character's age. The hairstyle and makeup really were carefully thought out, with the aim of creating a remarkable resemblance between the two men.

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