You'd Never Recognize These Movie Stars Who Drastically Changed Their Look For A Role

No one can deny that we now can do anything in filmmaking with the help of CGI. Besides, makeup experts can also turn a person into another one with practical effects such as prosthetics makeup, which are always within reach in today’s day and age.
Still, some movie stars still prefer to change their role physically. they seem to have mastered the art of making chameleon-like transformations. They take the risk of losing tons of weight in a short time, some others bulk up, or decide to go totally bald. We have to say that not every actor is willing to do this. And it may cause an argument among the film crew about whether the actors change their look physically or use makeup tricks or apply CGI.
Today, we’ve compiled 9 movie stars who put art first and dedicate themselves to work by completely changing their appearance for a role. Scroll down and check them out!

#1 Cameron Diaz — Being John Malkovich (1999)

Source: Polygram Filmed Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection/East News, © Being John Malkovich / Gramercy Pictures

Shortly after debuting as an actress in the film The Mask (1994), Cameron Diaz played Lotte Schwartz alongside John Cusack in Being John Malkovich. In the movie, Diaz has a very different look, wearing brown contact lenses, brown curly hair and almost no makeup.

#2 Joaquín Phoenix — Joker (2019)

Source: LGjr-RG/PacificCoastNews/EAST NEWS, CAP/RFS/Capital Pictures/East News

The Joker origin story caused Joaquín Phoenix to lose more than 50 pounds to play the main character, Arthur Fleck. Throughout her dramatic transformation, the star turned to her doctor for guidance to ensure she remained safe and healthy.

#3 Thomas Brodie-Sangster — Death of a Superhero (2011)

Source: © Mark Cuthbert / UK Press / Getty Images, © Death of a Superhero / Bavaria Pictures

The Irish TV series, Death of a Superhero, stars Thomas Brodie-Sangster as 15-year-old Donald Clarke. The character is terminally ill, and to play this character, the actor shaved off his hair and eyebrows totally.

#4 Tom Hanks — Philadelphia (1993)

Source: © Sleepless in Seattle / TriStar Pictures, © Philadelphia / Clinica Estetico

In Philadelphia, Tom Hanks helps tell the story of a gay man who is fired after finding out he has AIDS. Like Andrew Beckett, Hanks lost 26 pounds, and the performance eventually brought him an Oscar.

#5 David Harbour — Stranger Things (2016-present)

Source: © Stranger Things / Netflix and co-producers, © Stranger Things / Netflix

After three successful seasons as Jim Hopper on Netflix's hit show Stranger Things and a dramatic finale, fans can't help but wonder if David Harbor will return for a fourth season. However, his return to the series came as an even bigger surprise as he slimmed down considerably. In preparation for a new twist in his character's story, Harbor lost more than 70 pounds.

#6 Zac Efron for the upcoming movie, The Iron Claw

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Zac Efron is known for portraying Kevin Von Erich, a former professional wrestler, in the upcoming film, The Iron Claw. While the film was still in production, the actor was spotted looking muscular and sporting a shocking bowl-shaped hairstyle.

#7 Michael Fassbender — Hunger (2008)

Source: © 300 / Legendary Pictures and co-producers, © Hunger / Film4

Hunger is a historical drama about a hunger strike, and in the film, Michael Fassbender had to lose 35 pounds to portray the real-life person, Bobby Sands. The weight loss is especially shocking for those who remember the actor in the epic movie 300 (2006), in which he showed off his muscular physique.

#8 Emma Thompson — Wit (2001)

Source: Mary Evans/AF Archive/Graham Whitby Boot/East News, © Wit / HBO Films 

Emma Thompson is someone we often see completely changed, recalling her roles in Nanny McPhee (2005) and in the Harry Potter series. However, in 2001, she changed drastically for a more dramatic performance in the film Wit. In the film, she plays Vivian Bearing, a professor whose life changes after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The actress shaved her head and waxed her eyebrows for the role.

#9 Long after the success of Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey isn’t afraid to change herself for her new roles.

Source: © Dirty Dancing / Vestron Pictures, © jennifergrey / Instagram

The actress shared a sneak peek on her Instagram of the movie, Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation, in which she’ll be playing the lead role.