38 Incredible Pics Of Actors Before And After Applying Movie Makeup

The main goal of a movie star is to step into somebody else’s shoes and walk in them so convincingly that the audience forgets they’re watching a performance. But some roles given to the famous actors’ require more than just excellent acting skills, which is where Special effects makeup and prosthetics come in.

Special effects makeup not only requires the attention of a professional makeup artist but can also take up to several hours to put on. If that isn’t dedication to the job, we don’t know what is!

Scroll down for some of the most incredible before and after images that have ever taken place on film. We’ve gathered everyone’s favorite popular actors – Ralph Fiennes playing Voldemort and Meryl Steep disguised as a Rabbi to John Travolta turning into a woman and Angelina Jolie turning into a man, the list below, compiled by Bored Panda, is a testament to the fantastic magic of movie makeup.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1 Ralph Fiennes – Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter Series)

amazon.comReport

Final score:249pointsBuy NowPOSTRogue Hater 5 years ago

Dammmn the right one is fine!

62ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#2 Naomi Grossman – Pepper (American Horror Story Series)

amazon.comReport

Final score:239pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

I was floored when I saw who really played Pepper the Pinhead!!!

32ReplyView more comments#3 Meryl Streep – Rabbi (Angels In America)

amazon.com,Steve GranitzReport

Final score:196pointsBuy NowPOSTHamdhaan Hassan 5 years ago

what the hell, i did not watch this movie, theres a Meryl Streep movie i did not watch

40ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#4 Eddie Redmayne – Lili (The Danish Girl)

Doug Peters/EMPICS EntertainmentReport

Final score:175pointsPOSTAsia 5 years ago

This movie is very good!

20ReplyView more comments#5 Robin Williams – Mrs. Doubtfire (Mrs. Doubtfire)

amazon.com,Eva RinaldiReport

Final score:174pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

I miss him so much!

95ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#6 Heath Ledger – Joker (The Dark Knight)

amazon.com,Bob Riha JrReport

Final score:172pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

I think this was the best Joker ever! I just wish it hadn’t broke him. Gone too soon!

68ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#7 Jacob Tremblay – Auggie (Wonder)

Christopher Polk,LionsgateReport

Final score:167pointsPOSTKiahna 5 years ago

What a handsome boy!

34ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#8 Richard Brake – The Night King (Game Of Thrones)

Jay L. Clendenin,amazon.comReport

Final score:162pointsPOSTHamdhaan Hassan 5 years ago

cool makeup + awesome actor = amazing work

13ReplyView more comments#9 Eddie Murphy – Saul (Coming To America)

Steve Granitz,amazon.comReport

Final score:159pointsPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

I remember when this movie came out and everyone was shocked that Saul was Eddie Murphy. In fact, I won a bunch of money betting people on this very fact! Once people realized that I was right, I would smile, say “A-haaaa, A-haaaa” and then collect my winnings =)

64ReplyView more comments#10 John Matuszak – Sloth (The Goonies)

amazon.com,George RoseReport

Final score:137pointsBuy NowPOSTKerry Pye 5 years ago

hey you guys

29ReplyView more comments#11 Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool (Deadpool)

amazon.com,Sonia RecchiaReport

Final score:135pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

Sexy hottie -> Crispy hottie!

56ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#12 Tim Curry – Pennywise (It, 1990)

Jim Spellman,amazon.comReport

Final score:132pointsPOSTKiahna 5 years ago

You can fairly well judge a man by what movie he knows Tim Curry from…

27ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#13 Charlize Theron – Aileen (Monster)

amazon.com,Isa FoltinReport

Final score:131pointsBuy NowPOSTDavid KH Wong 5 years ago

Wear J’Adore

10ReplyView more comments#14 Tilda Swinton – Madame D. (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

amazon.com,PacificCoastNews.comReport

Final score:130pointsBuy NowPOSTErin Zelnio 5 years ago

This is so unfair. Tilda Swinton is basically a human chameleon. You could make up an entire list of all the characters she’s played that don’t look like her.

59ReplyView more comments#15 Johnny Depp – James ‘Whitey’ Bulger (Black Mass)

Barry KingReport

Final score:128pointsPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

The man of 1000 faces! Damn he is just too sexy!

40ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#16 Bill Skarsgård – Pennywise (It)

amazon.com,Barry KingReport

Final score:127pointsBuy NowPOSTMisterscooter 5 years ago

It floats.

12ReplyView more comments#17 Emma Thompson – Nanny McPhee (Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang)

Samir Hussein,amazon.comReport

Final score:127pointsPOSTMarina Litvin 5 years ago

one moreemma-thomp…e54261.jpg

19ReplyView more comments#18 Helena Bonham Carter – Red Queen (Alice Through The Looking Glass)

Jennifer RobertsReport

Final score:126pointsPOSTHamdhaan Hassan 5 years ago

i allways love this women, which ever part she plays she always makes it memorable

52ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#19 John Travolta – Edna Turnblad (Hairspray)

amazon.com,Steve GranitzReport

Final score:125pointsBuy NowPOSTHamdhaan Hassan 5 years ago

i actually didnt even realised that it was a guy until my sister told me i was a little surprised that he would do that role

12ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#20 Cate Blanchett – Bob Dylan (I’m Not There)

amazon.com,Walter McBrideReport

Final score:122pointsBuy NowPOSTMadalina Stanciu 5 years ago

Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan kinda look like LP (the singer)

16ReplyView more comments#21 Ron Perlman – Hellboy (Hellboy)

amazon.com,Alberto E. RodriguezReport

Final score:121pointsBuy NowPOSTDanusha Kuchtová 5 years ago

it’s just a red perlman.. <3

2ReplyView more comments#22 Gary Oldman – Dracula (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)

amazon.com,Steve GranitzReport

Final score:121pointsBuy NowPOSTMelody Lanzatella 5 years ago

AND THIS is the one I have been waiting for! The TRUE chameleon of actors! In EVERY movie he TRANSPORTS himself to entirely different person! SO talented! (Fun Fact: Oldman had played so many characters that were not in his native British accent, that he began to lose it! He hired a dialect coach to help him get it back!)

58ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#23 Gary Oldman – Mason Verger (Hannibal)

amazon.com,Monica SchipperReport

Final score:119pointsBuy NowPOSTRaspberry37 5 years ago

I once read apost about Gary Oldman saying that he can hide in plain sight. That is so true with every role of his. He always manages to make me concentrate on the character so much that I only notice that it’s him after watching the movie at least twice.

35ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#24 Robert Downey Jr – Kirk Lazarus (Tropic Thunder)

amazon.comReport

Final score:117pointsBuy NowPOSTKiahna 5 years ago

I’m dude playing a dude disguised as another dude!

62ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#25 Daniel Radcliffe – Ig Perrish (Horns)

Alberto E. Rodriguez,amazon.comReport

Final score:115pointsPOSTRaniya N. 5 years ago

HARRY POTTER! HARRY POTTER!

6ReplyView more comments#26 Doug Jones – Pale Man (Pan’s Labyrinth)

Ethan Miller,amazon.comReport

Final score:113pointsPOSTRogue Hater 5 years ago

I’m a bit scared… of both

61ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#27 Peter Mayhew – Chewbacca (Star Wars Series)

amazon.com,Angela WeissReport

Final score:113pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

Wait… you mean to tell me that Chewie isn’t real? Man I was all set to get one for my very own!

31ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#28 Jim Carrey – The Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

amazon.comReport

Final score:112pointsBuy NowPOSTMelody Lanzatella 5 years ago

The BEST Grinch!

27ReplyView more comments#29 Tim Curry – The Lord Of Darkness (Legend)

amazon.comReport

Final score:111pointsBuy NowPOSTEva Bryson 5 years ago

The greatest devil!

16ReplyView more comments#30 Daveigh Chase – Samara (The Ring )

amazon.com,Donato SardellaReport

Final score:109pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

I wonder if she gets nightmares when looking into the mirror in costume?

19ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#31 Warwick Davis – Griphook (Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2)

amazon.comReport

Final score:109pointsBuy NowPOSTethel 5 years ago

he’s like 5 diff characters in HP

23ReplyView more comments#32 Michael Keaton – Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice)

amazon.comReport

Final score:104pointsPOSTSteve Bowman 5 years ago

Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!

28ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#33 Glenn Close – Gutless (Hook)

Bill Davila,amazon.comReport

Final score:102pointsPOSTShana 5 years ago

I’ve watched this movie so many times and never knew that 😛

40ReplyView More Replies…View more comments#34 Eric Stoltz – Rocky Dennis (Mask)

amazon.com,Evan AgostiniReport

Final score:100pointsBuy NowPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

To this day, this movie makes me snot cry!

34ReplyView more comments#35 Anjelica Huston – Grand High Witch (The Witches)

Time & Life Pictures,amazon.comReport

Final score:99pointsPOSTMama Panda 5 years ago

The right side is me in the morning haha

27ReplyView more comments#36 Jered Leto – Old Nemo (Mr. Nobody)

amazon.comReport

Final score:97pointsBuy NowPOSTMitsuko Renaud 5 years ago

Echelons where are you

5ReplyView more comments#37 Kae Alexander – Leaf (Game Of Thrones)

Ian Gavan,amazon.comReport

Final score:96pointsPOSTStinkyMonkey 5 years ago

Meh, she looks pretty much the same, just painted grey.

12ReplyView more comments#38 Dustin Hoffman – Dorothy Michaels (Tootsie)