How Jacob Elordi Transformed for Frankenstein With 42 Prosthetics

For his new movie,Jacob Elordi was brought to life with a lot of help from prosthetics.

Becoming the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s new *Frankenstein* movie was incredibly challenging, particularly considering the extensive time Jacob spent preparing for the role, as del Toro explained.

Guillermo shared with TopMob News’ Francesca Amiker at the film’s Los Angeles premiere on October 6th that the actor spent roughly 10 hours each day getting prepared with around 42 different makeup and prosthetic pieces before he could even begin working.

You know, as someone who observes people navigating life’s challenges, I was really struck by how beautifully Jacob handled everything. An Oscar winner actually told me they were incredibly impressed, saying he did it all with such grace, patience, and genuine love. It was truly inspiring to witness.

Guillermo explained that building the character is like a priest preparing for a ceremony, with layers of costume and ritual. He said, ‘You have to remember, this *is* your ceremonial guard – you’re bringing the character to life.’ He described the performance that results as both deeply moving and strikingly vulnerable, saying it’s so emotionally raw and innocent that it’s incredibly touching.

Jacob didn’t just use makeup to become Frankenstein’s monster. He also studied Japanese butoh dance and explored the biblical Book of Job to prepare for the role.

Oscar Isaac, who plays Dr. Victor Frankenstein, recognized the dedication of the 28-year-old actor to their role.

You know, I was just talking to someone about a truly polished individual. It’s funny, because from the outside, he seemed so effortlessly put-together – never a bad word, always composed. But what people *don’t* see is the incredible amount of work that goes into that image. He’d spend a full ten hours *every single day* in makeup! It really highlights how appearances can be deceiving, and that ‘effortless’ style often takes a huge amount of dedication.

Oscar was really struck by how effortlessly this person appeared, and how openly beautiful and vulnerable they were.

Jacob Elordi, who appears with Mia Goth, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz, stepped into the role of Frankenstein’s Creature after Andrew Garfield had to withdraw due to other commitments. Director Guillermo del Toro previously praised Jacob as the ideal choice for the part.

The director told *Vanity Fair* in July that they share an unusually strong understanding. They communicate with very little direction – the director hardly needs to explain anything, and the actor just *gets* it.

Jacob joins a well-known group of actors who have played Frankenstein’s monster, including Boris Karloff, Robert De Niro, and Benedict Cumberbatch. However, the *Euphoria* actor wasn’t initially sure if he should watch their performances for ideas before starting to film his own version.

I’ll admit, when I first heard about it, I was hesitant. I really wanted to forge my own path and do things my way. But then I found myself asking Guillermo if I should check out the other versions, and his reaction was priceless – he was completely shocked that I even had to ask! It was a funny moment, realizing I was considering something I initially dismissed.

Jacob mentioned he didn’t want to copy other movies, and Guillermo immediately reassured him that he’d bring his own unique style to the role.

Jacob remembered his friend saying, ‘It’s just a movie, you can’t get really upset by it.’ He then went home and watched a lot of them back-to-back.

Frankenstein hits select theaters Oct. 17 before being available on Netflix beginning Nov. 7.

For more stars with incredible onscreen transformations, keep reading.

The British actor famously gained over 40 pounds twice for his roles in two movies. First, he did it for his performance as a con artist in the 2013 film *American Hustle*, which earned him an Oscar nomination. He then gained the same amount of weight to portray former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in the 2018 movie *Vice*, another Oscar-nominated role.

Christian Bale famously transformed his body for roles. For the 2019 film *Ford v Ferrari*, he lost 70 pounds to portray the lean race car driver Ken Miles. This wasn’t the first time he’d dramatically changed his weight for a movie; he also lost around 30 pounds while filming *The Fighter* in 2011.

For the 2020 film, makeup artist Matthew Mungle used a cast of Glenn Close’s head made in 2011 for the movie *Albert Nobbs* to help transform her into her character, Mamaw Vance, a real-life Appalachian grandmother. He sculpted new false ears and a nose for her, as reported by *Variety*. Close received an Oscar nomination for her performance.

To play Donald Trump, the actor reunited with the hair and makeup team who previously turned him into Tommy Lee for the series *Pam & Tommy*. He also gained weight to more closely resemble Trump’s build.

Stan intentionally gained about 15 pounds by following his nutritionist’s advice: he ate a lot of instant ramen with soy sauce and drank soda to make his face appear fuller.

To portray the famous jazz singer in the 2021 movie, the actress lost nearly 40 pounds, a performance that led to an Oscar nomination.

Okay, so everyone was teasing Cillian Murphy about his method acting – apparently he was seriously restricting his diet, like, eating just one almond a day, as Emily Blunt playfully pointed out! But honestly, it showed his dedication. He was so committed to *becoming* J. Robert Oppenheimer, and that meant really transforming his physical appearance, too. It was a bit extreme, maybe, but you could see how much he wanted to get it right.

Cillian Murphy, who played Oppenheimer, explained to *The New York Times* that he focused on accurately portraying the physicist’s physical appearance. To do this, he lost a significant amount of weight and collaborated closely with the costume designers. Oppenheimer was known for being very thin, almost frail, and reportedly lived on a diet of martinis and cigarettes.

The acclaimed actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004 for her powerful and disturbing performance as real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

To portray the troubled Arthur Fleck, who later becomes Batman’s enemy, the actor lost 52 pounds. He received the Best Actor Oscar in 2020 for his compelling performance.

Makeup artists spent three hours transforming the Best Actress winner, using a remarkably large prosthetic nose, so she would be completely unrecognizable in the 2002 drama.

To portray an attorney with HIV suing his old company, the actor lost 35 pounds and shaved his head. He won the Best Actor Oscar in 1994 for the role, and similarly changed his appearance – losing a significant amount of weight and growing a beard – for his 2000 film, *Cast Away*, which also earned him an Oscar nomination.

The actress famously gained weight for her role as Bridget Jones, but she didn’t need to change her body to play Judy Garland in the 2019 film *Judy*. She won her first Oscar for the performance, and the incredible transformation was all thanks to the work of the makeup and costume teams.

Renée had a strong connection with Jany Temime, the costume designer for the film, who also designed the costumes for the *Harry Potter* movies, Vulture reports. Temime said, “It felt like Renée truly became Judy while working on the film.”

Renée Zellweger explained that the costumes were tailored to mimic Judy Garland’s specific way of standing. Because of this, Zellweger couldn’t even zip up the dresses unless she adopted Garland’s posture.

Margot Robbie transformed herself for her role as Tonya Harding in the 2017 film about the figure skater’s scandal. It was a big change from her glamorous part in *The Wolf of Wall Street*, and she used prosthetics, braces, and wigs to convincingly portray Harding’s downfall.

In 2014, Matthew McConaughey won the Best Actor Oscar for his dedicated performance as an electrician living with HIV/AIDS.

Heath Ledger won an Academy Award in 2008, after his death, for his unforgettable and captivating portrayal of The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s second Batman movie. His interpretation of the famous villain was a significant departure from previous on-screen versions.

Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. wondered to IGN what would happen if the character slept in his makeup and didn’t bother to refresh it for a few weeks. He also pointed out the character never changed clothes, and these realistic details were crucial to bringing him to life.

He explained that when you picture clown makeup, it’s usually very precise and uses strong, defined lines. But this makeup was completely different – it was meant to be the opposite of all that.

The Academy Award-winning actress completely transformed her look to portray Brandon Teena, a real-life transgender man, in a 1999 film. She did so again in a 2004 movie directed by Clint Eastwood that went on to win Best Picture.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by the dedication actors bring to their roles! Did you know that the incredibly talented actor nominated for Best Actor in 2018 for his portrayal of Winston Churchill spent over four hours *each day* getting his makeup done? And get this – he even wore a specially made bodysuit resembling a Victorian corset to really transform into the iconic prime minister! It just goes to show the lengths they’ll go to for authenticity.

To win Best Actress at the 2011 Oscars, the actress lost 20 pounds and dedicated up to 16 hours a day to preparing for her demanding role as a ballerina struggling with mental illness.

Jared Leto, known for his transformative roles, won the Best Supporting Actor award in 2014 after meticulously preparing to play a transgender woman living with HIV. He lost 40 pounds for the part and fully embodied the character only while filming.

I’d transformed my body for roles before, but this was a different experience,” Jared Leto explained to TopMob News in 2013. “I believe the part required that level of dedication. It wasn’t just about physical changes; it was about how it impacted my movement, speech, personality, and emotions. It made me feel vulnerable, fragile, and insecure.”

The actress who won Best Actress physically transformed for her role, gaining 15 pounds of muscle to portray a mother escaping captivity with her 5-year-old son, Jacob Tremblay, in a 2015 film. To fully understand her character’s experience, she also intentionally limited her social interactions and restricted her diet, even avoiding nutrients like Vitamin D.

Rooney Mara received a Best Actress nomination at the 2012 Oscars for her role in the thriller. She fully committed to the part of Lisbeth Salander, even going to the lengths of getting multiple piercings, bleaching her eyebrows, and cutting her hair.

2025-10-07 05:18

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