From Hotties to Notties: 6 Actresses Who Ditched Their Looks for Roles
These actresses showed their range by playing ugly characters.
Charlize Theron, Monster
The crime drama Monster is based on the true story of a female serial killer from Florida, Aileen Wuornos. For the lead role, the producers were looking for an actress who could show all the sides of true madness. Charlize Theron, the beautiful blonde actress, volunteered to play Aileen, which was a real challenge. The actress had to put on an additional 45 lb (20 kg), bleach her hair, shave her eyebrows, as well as endure hours spent on makeup.
As a result, this creative experiment has brought Charlize the International Press Academy's Golden Satellite and Independent Spirit Awards for the Best Female Lead.
Kate Winslet, The Reader
In The Reader, Kate Winslet got to play the same character at different ages and social situations.
According to the script, Hanna Schmitz is hiding from the law after World War II, when the concentration camp guards were actively hunted. One day she meets a young student who falls madly in love with her and teaches her to read and write. Years later, Hanna is shown as a decrepit and melancholy old woman. For the final minutes of the film, the actress had to agree to an extremely hideous makeup.
Her efforts were not in vain — Kate Winslet won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
To play Fantine, Anne Hathaway had to put her body through a strict diet and regular workouts. Just in two weeks the actress had lost 20 lb (10 kg).
She looked so exhausted in the film that fans have begun to seriously worry about her physical and mental health. After the filming ended, Anne began to gradually recover and regained her usual weight.
Naomi Grossman, American Horror Story
In American Horror Story, the lovely actress Naomi Grossman played Pepper, a girl suffering from microcephaly. The actress had to cut her hair and spend two or even three hours every day on makeup.
She was carried to the set covered in a dark cloth, so that no one else could see her appearance. She was not allowed to say anything even to the family. But after getting acquainted with Pepper's early history, the viewers seemed to forget about her external ugliness: we saw a kind woman with a beautiful soul.
Naomi considers this role her greatest achievement and the reason she works as an actress.
Emma Thompson, Nanny McPhee
It was almost impossible to recognize the beautiful Emma Thompson under the makeup of a crooked old lady in the movie Nanny McPhee. The Blonde actress played a nanny with a huge nose and a tooth sticking out, which was supposed to calm rampant kids.
In the end, film critics praised Emma for her performance, so she even agreed to star in the sequel.
Christina Ricci, Penelope
In Penelope, the charming actress Christina Ricci is transformed to an enchanted titular that has a pig’s snout instead of a nose. According to the actress, it was not that difficult for her to play this character, because as a child she was always a little chubby and was also considered ugly. Christina Ricci captured Penelope's inner feelings so well that girls around the world began to look up to her, which says a lot.