Whether it's through CGI or intense special-effects makeup, these actors underwent some insane transformations to play some of the creepiest villains in film history. Ever wonder how the actor who played Voldemort lost his nose, or what the face behind Michael Myers' mask looked like?
Pennywise the Dancing Clown
Bill Skarsgård portrays the latest version of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the remake of Stephen King's It. The Swedish actor pulled out all the stops to make his character as scary as possible. He wanted to make his performance different and much more menacing than Tim Curry's version of Pennywise.
Bill Skarsgård
Skarsgård comes from a large family of Swedish actors. His brother, Alex Skarsgård, was in the series Big Little Lies opposite Nicole Kidman, and their father Stellan Skarsgård appeared in Good Will Hunting. It's safe to say that Bill has landed the creepiest role in the family with Pennywise.
Jason Voorhees
Ever wonder about the face behind the infamous hockey mask? Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees has been portrayed by numerous actors over the years, but one stands out above the rest for his stuntman backstory. Ken Kirzinger was the most successful at bringing the chainsaw-wielding mass murderer to life...
Ken Kirzinger
Kirzinger first appeared as Jason's stunt double in the 1989 film Jason Takes Manhattan. When he returned for Freddy vs. Jason, he played the killer throughout the entire film. Despite the mass success that the franchise has received, few ever bothered to look up the face behind the mask.
Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger is one of director Wes Craven's most popular creations, and the nightmare-invading slasher has gone down in history as one of film's best villains. Jackie Earl Haley portrayed Krueger in a 2010 remake of the cult classic.
Jackie Earl Haley
Haley has been seen in dozens of films, with dozens of different appearances. From Watchmen to Dark Shadows to Semi-Pro, he's portrayed every sort of role imaginable. He said the costuming and makeup for Freddy Krueger was a long and grueling process, but the final result was as horrifying as even Freddy's worst nightmares.
Leatherface
The infamous Texas Chainsaw Massacre villain was actually meant to be played by someone else. Andrew Bryniarski was second in line, and when the first guy had to drop out, the studio called him back for the role. The casting goal was to find the biggest, toughest-looking person in order to make Leatherface look as menacing as possible.
Andrew Bryniarski
Bodybuilder Andrew Bryniarski stepped up to the plate after the first Leatherface, who'd injured himself on set because he wasn't up for the task, had to quit. Bryniarski pulled off the rule like no one else. Despite playing an unhinged felon in the film, Bryniarski refused to stay in character between takes because he didn't want people to think he was anything like his character.
Kayako
There are few horror movies that leave viewers as unnerved as The Grudge. It's the original, Japanese version of The Ring, which is an American remake. A woman named Kayako is killed in a fit of rage by her jealous husband, and the curse of "the grudge" is born.
Takako Fuji
Takako Fuji is the actress behind Kayako, and she portrayed the ghost in both the Japanese and American versions of The Grudge. She brought her character (figuratively) to life a total of six times. She said she prefers the Japanese films because the American ones had too big of a budget and lost their fear factor.
Azog the Defiler
Azog the Defiler, or The Pale Orc, is one of the central villains in The Hobbit. Played by Manu Bennett, the role involved wearing a green suit while performing all of his scenes in order to be digitally enhanced later. He didn't even get to act on the set with the rest of the actors.
Manu Bennett
Bennett has also been seen in films such as 30 Days of Night and Beta Test. His role in The Hobbit is certainly one of his more menacing characters, and the amount of post-production work that went into bringing Azog to life is unmatched by any of his other films. He's completely unrecognizable in the final version of the movie.
The Bride in Black
The Bride in Black, also known as Marilyn or Parker Crane, appears in the Insidious franchise. She is a parasitic ghost who appears as an undead woman in a black wedding dress. The villain's backstory stems from Parker's tortured childhood when his mother would abuse him and force him to dress in girl's clothing and respond to the name "Marilyn."
Tom Fitzpatrick
Tom Fitzpatrick has had all sorts of roles, from appearing on children's sitcoms to the lead villain in Insidious. He was chosen to play The Bride in Black after his manager asked if he'd be interested in playing a pinnacle character in a horror franchise. His manager left out the part about his costume, though. Still, no better actor could have played the terrifying ghost.
The Janitor
Silent Hill's janitor scene is notoriously one of the creepier moments of the film. The film is an adaptation of the classic video game, and this is one of the more successful game-to-film portrayals of a villain the cinema has ever seen. Ever wonder who played this contorting janitor figure?
Roberto Campanella
Choreographer Robert Campanella has been featured in all sorts of films, and he was a no-brainer to play the creepy janitor character in Silent Hill. The character is tied up at the hands and feet, which meant Campanella had to get creative when it came to movement. He makes grotesque body and facial movements that only a choreographer could think up.
Captain Phasma
Star Wars: The Force Awakens made way for a whole new cast of characters, including one masked Captain Phasma. The character was originally meant to be male, and up until the last second, viewers assume that they are. Portrayed by Gwendoline Christie, Phasma is the Star Wars universe's first on-screen villain.
Gwendoline Christie
Despite the widespread fan appreciation for a female villain, Christie only had a few moments of screen time in The Force Awaken's follow-up, The Last Jedi. Since then, Christie has also been seen in Game of Thrones and Top of the Lake. She also stands at a staggering 6 feet 3 inches.
Doctor Poison
In the latest Wonder Woman film, the main villain is named Doctor Poison. She likely gave herself that moniker because she conceals half her face, a la Phantom of the Opera style, with a mask after she was injured during a mustard gas experiment. The female-led production cast Elena Anya to portray an evil mastermind.
Elena Anaya
During filming, Anaya's mask was glued on to her face, which meant she had to wait until the end of each shooting day to eat or drink anything. She said the process of putting it on and taking it off was painful, but the hard work paid off. She's one of the most startling villains we've seen on screen to date.
Voldemort
Classy actor Ralph Fiennes brought the most evil wizard in the Harry Potter universe to life. The most extensive part of his transformation into He Who Must Not Be Named was the CGI removal of his nose in favor of snake-like slits. The rest of his makeup, like his claw-like hands and pallor skin, was real.
Thanos
The lead villain in the entire Marvel universe, Thanos, comes crashing down in Avengers: Endgame. With the capture of all the infinity stones, he could erase the entire universe with the snap of his fingers. He's played by Josh Brolin who, despite all that CGI, still somehow resembles the super villain.
The Joker
Heath Ledger's joker didn't involve any CGI, but those scars on his face are thanks to special effects makeup. The face paint was purposefully messy in order to add to the chaotic nature of the role. With several iterations of the character gracing screens after Ledger, none have managed to capture the pure evil of the role like he did.
Jigsaw
The Saw franchise's main villain, Jigsaw, was portrayed by Tobin Bell, and that elaborate costume was exactly that, a costume. No CGI was involved in this villain's creation, which makes it even creepier. No one can ever forget his iconic line: "Want to play a game?"
Samara
The Ring follows the plot of a group of teens who watch a cursed video and then subsequently die days later. The girl in the haunted video footage, Samara, has an even more tragic past than any of them imagine, and at the end of the film, she crawls out of the television set to tell her story. Contortionist Bonnie Morgan brought Samara to life, and all of those creepy, disfigured movements that you see while the ghostly girl crawls out of the TV are all real.
Hannibal Lecter
Anthony Hopkins played Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of The Lambs, and the creepiest part about his character was the lack of costuming. He's just a normal-looking guy. Aside from that muzzle, Hopkins underwent little transformation.
Michael Myers
The inspiration for Halloween's Michael Myers mask was William Shatner. The crew found a mask of his likeness, stretched it, painted it white, and the rest is history. Played by Nick Castle in the original film, his still, imposing stature and emotionless killings make him the perfect villain.
The Pale Man
Guillermo del Toro's classic film, Pan's Labyrinth features several wonky creatures. The most unsettling is certainly The Pale Man, a monster with eyes on its hands. He only appears onscreen for a few moments, but his performance is unforgettable. The character is played by Doug Jones, a frequent special effects actor.
Chucky
While Chucky from Child's Play is an animatronic doll, it's his voice that's the scariest part. Played by Brad Dourif, Chucky is the spirit of a supposed serial killer who embodies a toy. He wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting family for an entire franchise.
Azazel
The X-Men character Azazel is best known for his shocking red skin and his teleportation powers. He's seen in X-Men: First Class and as one of the film's most notorious bad guys. He's brought to life by Jason Flemyng, who had to sit in a makeup chair for hours to perfect that reddish hue.
Lurch
The original Addams Family aired from 1964 to 1966, and that's how audiences got their first taste of Gomez, Wednesday, Morticia, and Lurch. Despite all of the characters' dramatic appearances, Ted Cassidy underwent the most bizarre costuming to bring Lurch to life.
Aileen Wuornos
Monster follows the story of famous serial killer Aileen Wuornos. She was a brutal slasher, and she was brought to life by none other than the gorgeous Charlize Theron. The transformation she underwent was more than drastic and included gaining over 30 pounds, damaging her hair, and adding fake scars and tattoos to her body.
Armando Salazar
The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales villain, Armando Salazar, is an undead pirate hunter who's out to get Jack Sparrow. The process of getting Javier Bardem ready for filming took about three hours, and involved lots of special effects makeup and CGI in post-production. Despite the dedication, the franchise's fifth film was its least successful.
Pinhead
Pinhead is a villain from the movie Judgement, a film in the Hellraiser franchise. The original actor, Doug Bradley, had played Pinhead for years but didn't want to sign on for another film. Actor Paul T. Taylor stepped in and allowed himself to be transformed into a human pin cushion.
Corvus Glaive
Thanos' right-hand man, Corvus Glaive, appeared in the film Avengers: Infinity War. He was portrayed by actor Michael James Shaw, who had actually originally auditioned for a role in Black Panther. Corvus was one of the characters who ultimately dies at the hands of Thanos' quest for power.
Predator
The villain in The Predator is played by parkour expert Brian Prince. It's one of the most iconic sci-fi movies ever, and has garnered several spin-offs and reboots. However, it wasn't easy finding the right person to portray the title character. Prince happens to be 6'10" and his stunt training made him the most perfect candidate.
Ronan the Accuser
Ronan the Accuser is a pinnacle villain in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, and the character looks absolutely nothing like the actor behind the makeup. Lee Pace has been transformed for roles before, but never like this. The special effects makeup included blue skin, colored contacts, and enhancing his scars and veins before he donned that headdress.
Baby Firefly
Sheri Moon Zombie, wife of filmmaker Rob Zombie, has been featured in several of his films. Her character, Baby Firefly, has made appearances in everything from House of 1000 Corpses to The Devil's Rejects to The Lords of Salem. Zombie agreed to let her hair be woven into dreadlocks for this role. She also sat for hours applying makeup, face paint, and intricate tattoos. The look paid off because Rob Zombie's films are always notoriously avant-garde.
Amphibian Man
The Shape of Water was notoriously one of the weirder films to surface over the last couple of years. One of the two main characters, Amphibian Man, is a nightmarish looking fish-man that actually makes viewers feel deeply sad for him. The idea for the creature is based on a sketch done by director Guillermo del Toro and is played by Doug Jones.
Hela
Thor: Ragnarok's villain, Hela, is a devious, gothic-inspired villain who spent years in imprisonment under Odin's rule. Played by Cate Blanchett, this role isn't one of her typical performances. She pulls off playing Loki and Thor's enemy with surprising ease. Blanchett is known for taking on more elegant roles, such as those in Carol, Blue Jasmine, and Knight of Cups. However, she did play an elf in The Lord of the Rings franchise, which is one of her more whimsical roles.
Rita Repulsa
Power Rangers fans will enjoy the 2017 reboot of the classic action series. The villain, Rita Repulsa, got a makeover for the film and is played by actress Elizabeth Banks. She wore a prosthetic suit that covered her whole body in order to give off the appearance that she had burnt skin.
Calypso
The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest villain took the form of Tia Dalma and Calypso, an entity trapped inside the body of a woman. She was played by Naomie Harris. Getting into character involved some extensive makeup, but no prosthetics here. The freakiest part came from her enchanting accent and magical powers.
The Creeper
The Creeper is the title character from the film Jeepers Creepers. The villain is a staple among horror films, and Jonathan Breck brought the character to life. It took him anywhere from three to five hours to fully suit up.
Ari
Helena Bonham Carter portrayed Ari in Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes in 2001. This is where the iconic collaborative duo first met. Carter had to sit for hours while she was suited up, and described the costume as "unbearably hot" and "very unpleasant." Much of the Ari suit was made of rubber, including her hands and ears.
Kaecilius
Mads Mikkelsen is probably best known for his role as Hannibal Lecter, but he has a lot more depth than that. He took a role in Doctor Strange as Kaecilius, which involved a huge physical transformation. He starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the iconic Marvel film.
Roark Junior
Sin City's Roark Junior is the film's main villain, best known for his eccentric looks and personality. He's a sadistic rapist and killer and is a member of the powerful Roark clan. He was portrayed by actor Nick Stahl, who was also featured in several of the Terminator films thanks to his resemblance to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Invisible Man
2020's remake of 1993's The Invisible Man featured a legitimate CGI villain with no actor behind it. Elisabeth Moss plays the protagonist who's stalked by a ghost-like man after her ex-boyfriend commits suicide. She suspects foul play, and nobody will believe the existence of the titular "invisible man."
The Leprechaun
Warwick Davis portrays the evil Irish Leprechaun in The Leprechaun franchise. Most of his transformation involved special effects makeup and elaborate costuming. The famous Little Person actor was the obvious choice to bring the devious creature to life.
The Tooth Fairy
The prequel to Silence of the Lambs featured a crazed killer called The Tooth Fairy. Red Dragon's villain was played by Ralph Fiennes before he was Voldemort. His transformation involved intense fake tattooing across his whole body in order to encompass "The Red Dragon" he was obsessed with in the film.
Pazuzu
The cult classic film The Exorcist features an appearance from the literal "King of Hell," Pazuzu. Eileen Dietz was super-imposed over the demon's face in the scenes where her character is being exorcised. The moment where it initially appears left audiences shaking for decades.
It
The original It was a mini-series inspired by Stephen King's novel of the same name. Pennywise was played by Tim Curry, and aside from his extra rows of razor-sharp teeth, Curry's costuming was just thanks to special-effects makeup. He wore a special headpiece to give his face an enlarged appearance under all the makeup.
The Strangers
The Strangers are some of the creepiest killers because of the masks they wear. The audience never sees them unmasked, and the fact that the masks aren't even objectively scary is what makes them terrifying. They commit heinous crimes for no reason other than they were bored.
The Lipstick-Face Demon
The Lipstick-Face Demon, or The Man With Fire on His Face, is from the film Insidious. He's played by Joseph Bishara, and he's featured through much of the series. His creation was a combination of special effects makeup and CGI work.
The Red Queen
Tim Burton's production of Alice in Wonderland is best known for its eccentric aesthetic and unhinged characters. Helena Bonham Carter brought The Red Queen to life expertly, making her as maniacal yet regal as possible. They even enlarged her head in post-production.
Kevin Wendell Crumb
M. Night Shyamalan's villain in Split, Kevin Wendell Crumb, embodies various different personalities. However, the most threatening one is "The Beast," in which actor James Mcavoy physically transforms into a super-strong human being. That was done thanks to CGI special effects.
Peter Pettigrew
One of the early villains from Harry Potter, Peter Pettigrew, is the human reincarnation of Ron Weasley's pet rat. He is played by Timothy Spall, and his costume was a combination of special effects and makeup. The transformation scene was all thanks to CGI, though. He can't take that credit.
The Lizard
The Lizard is a Spider-Man villain portrayed by Rhys Ifans and his transformation is thanks to a green screen suit and a lot of CGI work. Ifans' portrayal of The Lizard is creepy and a perfect match for Marvel fans. His human counterpart is, of course, a mad scientist.
Ego
The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 villain, Ego, is played by Kurt Russel. His character is Chris Pratt's Star-Lord's father, much to his dismay. Ego hopes to take over the galaxy, and his life source is found within a secret planet that Star-Lord and his crew must destroy. His transformation into an electrical field is thanks to CGI.
The Terrifier
The scary clown in The Terrifier's costume is all intense makeup. The stark white face, black lips, elongated nose, and bloody teeth are due to expert makeup artists. Art the Clown is portrayed by David Howard Thornton, and he does an over-the-top job.
The Babadook
The title character in The Babadook is played by Tim Purcell. While much of his costume is just straight up makeup, some of his more intense scenes involved some CGI of the face in order to make him look like a legitimate demon. This film made waves for being the creepiest horror film as well as the most annoying due to the acting.