11 Actors Who Endured Uncomfortable Make-Up And Costumes In Order To Fully Embody Their Characters

Jimmy Henton
Dec 01, 2022
Dec 01, 2022

Movie costume is infamous for its particularly taxing and painful experience for every Hollywood actor and actress. Even though different actors handled it differently, it’s no doubt that they all had to go through incredibly uncomfortable situations.
However, only a select handful are required to wear costumes and makeup that would be deemed out of this planet in addition to the challenging work of acting. Playing an ancient beast against foes from several universes is not the same as playing a straightforward office worker. Here are two actors that have some knowledge of the subject: Both John Rhys-Davies, who portrayed Gimli in The Lord of the Rings, and Dane DeHaan, who played the Green Goblin in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, experienced severe allergic reactions to their makeup during production.
We've made a list of the top 11 actors that had the greatest wardrobe-related hardships while filming. Scroll down for more details.

#1 Sean Astin, The Lord of the Rings (Film series, 2001-2003)

Source: © The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the king / New Line Cinema and co-producers, AFP / East News

Hobbit feet were required for the actor who played Samsagaz Gamyi so that he could run and scale hills. It took nearly an hour to attach the artificial feet to the actors' feet. The hobbit actors, including Sean Astin, were made to stand throughout this procedure. Otherwise, their ankles would flex, resulting in deformed false feet. On a large piece of glass, the actor once hurt his foot. He was even helicoptered to a medical facility so that the wound could be stitched.

#2 Chris Evans, as Captain America

Source: © Captain America: Civil War / Marvel Studios and co-producers, Grosby Group / East News

Chris Evans' Captain America outfit, which he wore in the first and subsequent Avengers movies, was quite straightforward by superhero standards. He only experienced discomfort on the movie set because of his ill-fitting helmet. As soon as he put it on, the actor's head ached.

#3 Dane DeHaan, The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro (2014)

Source: © The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro / Marvel Enterprises and co-producers, agefotostock / East News

The Green Goblin outfit that actor Dane DeHaan had to wear weighed 50 pounds (23 kg). And he needed the aid of electrical tools to put it on. It took 3.5 hours to complete all of the filming preparations.
DeHaan underwent a true test during the Green Goblin and Spider-last Man's confrontation, which was filmed in an actual clock tower. Temperatures during filming rose to 115°F (46°C). The actor's head and clothing had to be covered with ice between takes by the production team.

#4 Anthony Daniels, Star Wars (1977)

Source: © Star Wars / Lucasfilm and co-producer, Invision / Invision / East News

Anthony Daniels wore a suit made of fiberglass, plastic, and metal to portray the part of the droid C-3PO. He was unable to fully breathe or make quick motions while wearing this garment. He needed two hours to put or take it off.
He frequently suffered scratches from the costume's rough edges while filming, and once a defective battery nearly "baked" the actor. Additionally, Daniels was disturbed by the chemical scent of the paint used to coat the outfit for a long time after the filming.

#5 Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV series, 1987-1994)

Source: © Star Trek: The Next Generation / Paramount Television, VALERIE MACON / AFP / East News

To seem flawlessly smooth and wrinkle-free, the actor who performed the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard for seven years had to put in a Lycra suit that was one size too small. His shoulders, neck, and back were under a ton of strain as a result.
I detested it. In fact, we got rid of it after the second season with the help of my chiropractor, who threatened to sue Paramount if I didn't get rid of it for the irreparable harm it had done to my spine, Stewart said in an interview.

#6 Dan Stevens, Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Source: © Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producer, Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP / East News

Dan Stevens had to wear a special vest with tubes where cold water circulated between shoots to keep him cool since he would become so overheated while wearing the Beast costume. And he'd eat four roast dinners every day to keep himself physically fit and prevent exhaustion from sweating. Additionally, the actor had to spend 12 hours each day walking on stilts.

#7 John Rhys-Davies, The Lord of the Rings (Film series, 2001-2003)

Source: © The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring / New Line Cinema and co-producers

Source: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Actor John Rhys-Davies experienced a serious allergic reaction to makeup while portraying the character of Gimli in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, causing his face to swell up. and his anguish never stopped. So that his skin could have at least a day to heal, he could only shoot every other day.
He declined when asked whether he would play the same part in The Hobbit again since he wasn't convinced his face could withstand the abuse once again.

#8 Tom Felton, Harry Potter (Film series, 2001 — 2011)

Tom Felton had to endure a lot of pain even though he didn't wear any special outfits while Harry Potter was being filmed. More specifically, his hair. Due to his dark hair, the actor had to color it platinum every 10 days for the character of Draco Malfoy.

#9 Jeff Goldblum, The Fly (1986)

The Jeff Goldblum-played lead character in this horror/sci-fi film allegedly underwent a slow transformation into a fly. The actor had to wait for five hours while stylists applied the appropriate cosmetics to his face and torso.
Additionally, Jeff Goldblum hardly resembled a human at the movie's conclusion. The actor was worn out from wearing a latex costume constantly, using contact lenses that altered his appearance, and applying makeup for a long time.

#10 Ron Perlman, Hellboy (2004)

Ron Perlman used a customized outfit with a foam prosthesis covering his back and chest to play the superhero. The actor's makeup was completed in 4 hours as well. Every day of the filming, Perlman was compelled to endure this procedure. The artist had his makeup applied 86 times in total for the film.

#11 Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands (1990)

A scorching summer was being experienced in California at the time of the filming, and several crew members were melting away. Johnny Depp struggled as well. His clothing was constructed of a substance that increased his perspiration. This was made evident during the filming of the scene where Edward is rushing away because the actor passed out from heat exhaustion after numerous takes.
If you were an actor or actress and had to put up with this type of clothing, what would you do?

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