15 Actors Were Digitally De-Aged On Screen

In cinema, the digital de-aging technique is typically used to make actors look decades younger, especially for flashback scenes. Filmmakers often accomplish this via digital editing or computer-generated imagery (CGI) to help actors pass a certain age. From flashback scenes to full-length movies, they have applied that visual effects technique to create de-aged digital actors on screen.
There have been multiple actors who were digitally de-aged on screen. From Orlando Bloom in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug to Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), their characters look more convincing in their movies thanks to de-aging. Still, the technology has evolved years by years, and we’re not surprised by excellent techniques which help actors bring their movie roles to life.
Today, we have compiled a list of 15 actors who go under the digital knife in their movies below. Let’s check them out!

#1 Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales)

Source: harpersbazaar

In the Pirates of the Caribbean, the iconic pirate Captain Jack Sparrow needed CGI's help to look as convincing as we see on screen. The actor truly resembled his youthful appearance in his early project, such as 21 Jump Street.

#2 Will Smith (Gemini Man)

Source: indiewire

In the sci-fi action movie Gemini Man, Will Smith was a younger version of himself. Although the actor was praised for his de-aged visual effects, the film still had a loss of $111 million to Paramount Pictures.

#3 Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator Salvation)

Source: polygon

erminator Salvation, Austrian bodybuilder Roland Kickinger does not technically appear in the movie. He still makes a list since CGI was used to present a younger version of him.

#4 Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home)

Source: indiewire

In the Spider-Man: No Way Home, Alfred Molina was de-aged to look exactly like he did as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 17 years before. There was the same case with other actors who reprised their old characters.

#5 Michael Douglas (Ant-Man)

Source: digitalspy

For the role of entomologist Hank Pym in Ant-Man, Michael Douglas was de-aged 25 years for a notable flashback scene.

#6 Robert De Niro (The Irishman)

Source: telegraph

Because the scenes took place in the 1960s and 1970s, De Niro must be digitally de-aged. Still, most of the movie's budget was spent on special effects related to de-aging.

#7 Jennifer Connelly (American Pastoral)

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Jennifer Connelly de-aged by 25 years for her role as former beauty queen Dawn Dwyer Levov in the 1991 superhero flick The Rocketeer.

#8 Joe Pesci (The Irishman)

Source: imdb

Joe Pesci was the same case as Robert De Niro, who also took the de-aging technique. It was known as a remarkable return that Pesci was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

#9 Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Source: imdb

Brad Pritt was also de-aged to look more convincing for his role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which brought him an Oscar for Best Visual Effect.

#10 Kurt Russell (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

Source: screencrush

The critical scenes set on planet Earth in the 1980s required Kurt Russell to be digitally de-aged. It was done magnificently by Lola VFX, a longtime collaborator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in special effects.

#11 Al Pacino (The Irishman)

Source: wired

The super movie star Al Pacino was de-aged for his character of Jimmy Hoffa. The credit for de-aging the three actors goes to visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman.

#12 Mark Hamill (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)

Source: latercera

In the final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Mark Hamill reprised his role as Luke Skywalker. But this time, he did need the help of the de-aging technique for the scene.

#13 Samuel L. Jackson (Captain Marvel)

Source: cine.no

The character Nick Fury is basically the glue that holds the Marvel Cinematic Universe together. And it’s really hard to imagine anyone but Samuel L. Jackson portraying the character. In fact, he was asked to reprise his iconic character and used the de-aging technique in post-production.

#14 Orlando Bloom (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)

Source: imdb

British actor Orlando Bloom rose to his stardom with Legolas in The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. Continuing a string of hit movies, he starred in multiple films before returning to his roots a decade later to reprise the role in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Indeed, ten years was a big problem, so the actor was de-aged for the role.

#15 Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday)

Source: time

For his leading role in Pee-Wee's Big Holiday, Paul Reubens had to rely on CGI to look 28 years younger because the movie was set in the same period. In addition, the actor also wore tape and powder on his face during the shoot.