Take your average Hollywood actor or actress. Gorgeous, right? Sun-filled hair, the complexion of a china doll, toned so you could bounce pennies off them, bronzed, muscular, cellulite free. But when it comes to acting, that’s not always an appropriate look. Cue great looking actors who play ugly in the movies. It’s a talent.
1.Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar (2012)
What does he usually look like? You know what he looks like: fair of hair, boyish of face, tall (apparently: doesn’t look it, does he?), generally regarded a Hotty McHot of Hollywood.
And in the movie? Well, he plays FBI top dog J. Edgar Hoover across the decades but let’s just say he ends up old, heavy and with some very unbecoming spectacles.
2.Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
What does she usually look like? Well, she’s hot enough to star in Lancome ads and is generally though of as one of the more beauteous Hollywood stars. Blonde, tall, gorgeous.
And in the movie? The transformation is almost unbelievable. Playing a real-life lesbian serial killer, she is dumpy with bad skin, bad teeth and a sort of hair-don’t. Not pretty.
3.Mariah Carey in Precious (2009)
What does she usually look like? It’s true she has had her chunkier moments but she’s usually glamorous and statuesque (she’s really tall, you know) and turned out a treat.
And in the movie? She is the epitome of frumpy. She plays a social worker with bad frizzy hair, some horrific jumpers and a very dumpy demeanour. Which is tricky to pull off when you’re tall.
4.Nicole Kidman in The Hours (2002)
What does she usually look like? Tall, skinny, white, red hair and the tiniest little button of a nose you could imagine. It’s so small it’s almost not there. Tiny it is.
And in the movie? Well, it’s the nose, isn’t it? She’s playing real-life writer Virginia Woolf and she looks alright – a bit pale, a bit drab – but with the hugest fake nose. Oof!
5.Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men (2007)
What does he usually look like? Well, he has that brutal masculine handsomeness that is sexy rather than beautiful but he’s a looker. Penelope Cruz wouldn’t have married him if he wasn’t.
And in the movie? He still looks brutal and brooding but has a daft hairstyle that’s all brushed forward and is a bit ladylike around the sides. Does nothing for him.
6.Bette Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962)
What does she usually look like? She was never one of the big Hollywood beauties, more a character actress, but she could put on the glam if she needed to, like in All About Eve.
And in the movie? An absolute fright! She plays a mad old lady with lipstick all over her face, stringy hair and clothes hanging off of her. Absolutely terrifying, she is!
7.Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder (2008)
What does he usually look like? One of the most famous movie stars in the world, he looks like your classic movie star: a bit on the short side but great jaw line and hair and face.
And in the movie? A lot of guys can carry off balding but not with straggly bits round the side and a lot of padding to give him a belly and as for the clothes… Sheesh!
8.Gwyneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal (2001)
What does she usually look like? The main thing about her is she has this sylph-like slimness. Lovely face and hair but it’s that slender figure that really makes Gwyneth, well, Gwyneth.
And in the movie? She spends some of the film looking her usual gorgeous self but the rest fatted up. Really fatted up. But it’s the crispy blonde hair that’s almost worse.
9.Christian Bale in The Machinist (2004)
What does he usually look like? He is usually Hollywood hot, especially in film such as American Psycho where he was buff, bronzed and beautiful. Bit of a long face, maybe, but sexy.
And in the movie? He lost so much weight for the role that he actually looks frightening and so skeletal that you can almost count his bones. And a great performance, just by the way.
10.John Hurt in The Elephant Man (1980)
What does he usually look like? Well, back when this movie was made, he had a certain sophisticated je ne sais quoi, with all the right floppy hair and cheekbones and elegance.
And in the movie? He plays the real life John Merrick, a man with a terrible disfigurement, so much so that he doesn’t actually look like a human being any more. To act from underneath all that… well, we take our hats off to him.
1.Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar (2012)
What does he usually look like? You know what he looks like: fair of hair, boyish of face, tall (apparently: doesn’t look it, does he?), generally regarded a Hotty McHot of Hollywood.
And in the movie? Well, he plays FBI top dog J. Edgar Hoover across the decades but let’s just say he ends up old, heavy and with some very unbecoming spectacles.
2.Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
What does she usually look like? Well, she’s hot enough to star in Lancome ads and is generally though of as one of the more beauteous Hollywood stars. Blonde, tall, gorgeous.
And in the movie? The transformation is almost unbelievable. Playing a real-life lesbian serial killer, she is dumpy with bad skin, bad teeth and a sort of hair-don’t. Not pretty.
3.Mariah Carey in Precious (2009)
What does she usually look like? It’s true she has had her chunkier moments but she’s usually glamorous and statuesque (she’s really tall, you know) and turned out a treat.
And in the movie? She is the epitome of frumpy. She plays a social worker with bad frizzy hair, some horrific jumpers and a very dumpy demeanour. Which is tricky to pull off when you’re tall.
4.Nicole Kidman in The Hours (2002)
What does she usually look like? Tall, skinny, white, red hair and the tiniest little button of a nose you could imagine. It’s so small it’s almost not there. Tiny it is.
And in the movie? Well, it’s the nose, isn’t it? She’s playing real-life writer Virginia Woolf and she looks alright – a bit pale, a bit drab – but with the hugest fake nose. Oof!
5.Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men (2007)
What does he usually look like? Well, he has that brutal masculine handsomeness that is sexy rather than beautiful but he’s a looker. Penelope Cruz wouldn’t have married him if he wasn’t.
And in the movie? He still looks brutal and brooding but has a daft hairstyle that’s all brushed forward and is a bit ladylike around the sides. Does nothing for him.
6.Bette Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962)
What does she usually look like? She was never one of the big Hollywood beauties, more a character actress, but she could put on the glam if she needed to, like in All About Eve.
And in the movie? An absolute fright! She plays a mad old lady with lipstick all over her face, stringy hair and clothes hanging off of her. Absolutely terrifying, she is!
7.Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder (2008)
What does he usually look like? One of the most famous movie stars in the world, he looks like your classic movie star: a bit on the short side but great jaw line and hair and face.
And in the movie? A lot of guys can carry off balding but not with straggly bits round the side and a lot of padding to give him a belly and as for the clothes… Sheesh!
8.Gwyneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal (2001)
What does she usually look like? The main thing about her is she has this sylph-like slimness. Lovely face and hair but it’s that slender figure that really makes Gwyneth, well, Gwyneth.
And in the movie? She spends some of the film looking her usual gorgeous self but the rest fatted up. Really fatted up. But it’s the crispy blonde hair that’s almost worse.
9.Christian Bale in The Machinist (2004)
What does he usually look like? He is usually Hollywood hot, especially in film such as American Psycho where he was buff, bronzed and beautiful. Bit of a long face, maybe, but sexy.
And in the movie? He lost so much weight for the role that he actually looks frightening and so skeletal that you can almost count his bones. And a great performance, just by the way.
10.John Hurt in The Elephant Man (1980)
What does he usually look like? Well, back when this movie was made, he had a certain sophisticated je ne sais quoi, with all the right floppy hair and cheekbones and elegance.
And in the movie? He plays the real life John Merrick, a man with a terrible disfigurement, so much so that he doesn’t actually look like a human being any more. To act from underneath all that… well, we take our hats off to him.
