Hugh Jackman Is Unrecognizable in Transformation for Robin Hood Role

by

Prepare to see Hugh Jackman like never before.

The first photos from A24’s new movie, The Death of Robin Hood, have been revealed, and the actor known for The Greatest Showman looks completely different playing the famous outlaw.

A photo released by A24 on December 16th shows the 57-year-old actor almost unrecognizable with long, curly grey hair and a matching grey beard. Despite the change in appearance, he still looks tall and is bundled up in black and grey fur to stay warm while filming in the cold, rainy landscape of Northern Ireland.

Whether Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Robin Hood will stick to the classic tale of robbing from the rich to help the poor is still a secret. Writer and director Michael Sarnoski hasn’t revealed any plot details about the movie, which is scheduled for release in 2026.

He hinted to Entertainment Weekly in a December 16th interview that fans will get to see Hugh Jackman’s muscular physique again.

As for Hugh, he admitted that he’s impressed with the filmmaker’s reimagining of the character. 

The actor praised Mike’s take on the Robin Hood story, saying it was powerful and explored the complexities of how power can be used for both positive and negative purposes. He described this version of Robin Hood as a very human character, complete with flaws, past hurts, and even love. He felt the story was both beautiful and grounded in reality, giving it real emotional weight.

Hugh isn’t the only actor with a new, tougher appearance. Bill Skarsgård has grown a beard and cut his hair short for his role as Little John. Meanwhile, Jodie Comer is pictured alone, overlooking the mountains of Ireland, wearing a completely blue outfit.

 

In March, Hugh finished filming and shared a look back at his experience on set, including how he transitioned out of his role.

Oh my gosh, the whole team behind The Death of Robin Hood… they’re just incredible! I was scrolling through Instagram and the director posted the most amazing video of everyone taking off all the hair and makeup, and his caption just got me. He said there’s such a special connection and spirit among the cast and crew, and honestly, you can feel it! He was so thankful for the whole experience, calling it an honor and a privilege, and then he just raved about Ireland! He said its beauty is endless, and I totally agree – it looks absolutely stunning in the film. I’m obsessed with everything about this project and everyone involved!

For more celebrities who are unrecognizable in their roles, keep reading…

 
 

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

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

For the 2020 film, makeup artist Matthew Mungle used a mold of Glenn Close’s head from the 2011 movie Albert Nobbs to create prosthetics – a new set of ears and a nose – that transformed her into her character, Mamaw Vance, a real-life Appalachian grandmother. Close received an Oscar nomination for her performance, as reported by Variety.

To play Donald Trump, the actor teamed up with the same 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 unusual advice: he ate a lot of instant ramen with soy sauce and drank plenty of soda, all 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 earned her an Academy Award nomination.

It might have seemed a little extreme that he was reportedly eating just one almond a day, as his co-star Emily Blunt playfully pointed out. But the actor was truly dedicated to accurately portraying the physical appearance of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist behind the atomic bomb.

Cillian Murphy, who played Oppenheimer, described how important it was to capture the physicist’s unique appearance. He told The New York Times that he lost a significant amount of weight and worked closely with the costume designers to achieve the right look, noting that Oppenheimer was very thin, almost gaunt, and had a habit of living on a diet of martinis and cigarettes.

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

To portray the troubled Arthur Fleck, later known as 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 with extensive makeup, including a very noticeable fake nose, making her almost unidentifiable in the 2002 film.

To convincingly 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 also underwent a significant physical transformation – losing weight and growing a beard – for his Oscar-nominated performance in the 2000 film Cast Away.

The actress famously gained weight for her role in Bridget Jones’s Diary, 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 achieved through expert makeup and costumes.

Oh my gosh, you guys, Renée was so connected to playing Judy! Jany Temime, the costume designer – she did all the Harry Potter films, can you believe it?! – told Vulture it was like the role completely possessed Renée. She said it was her film, and that Renée totally became Judy, like she really lived inside her skin. It was amazing, honestly!

Renée Zellweger explained that the costumes for the film were tailored to mimic Judy Garland’s specific posture. This meant Zellweger couldn’t comfortably wear the dresses unless she adopted Garland’s stance, and sometimes couldn’t even zip them up.

Margot Robbie transformed herself for the role of Tonya Harding in the 2017 film, a significant change from her glamorous part in The Wolf of Wall Street. She used prosthetics, braces, and wigs to portray the disgraced figure skater and bring Harding’s career-ending scandal to the screen.

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

Heath Ledger won an Oscar after his death in 2008 for his unforgettable and captivating portrayal of The Joker in the second Batman film directed by Christopher Nolan. His version of the famous villain was a significant departure from previous on-screen interpretations.

Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. wondered to IGN what would happen if the character didn’t bother with his appearance. “What if he slept in his makeup? What if he didn’t refresh it for two or three weeks? He never even changes his clothes,” Caglione said. “Those little, realistic details were really important.”

Honestly, when he talked about the clown’s makeup, it just hit me. You always picture clowns with super precise, sharp lines, right? But this… this was the complete opposite. It wasn’t about precision at all, it was… something else entirely. I can just picture it, all messy and… unsettling. It’s burned into my brain now, honestly.

The award-winning actress transformed her look to portray Brandon Teena, a real-life transgender man, in a 1999 film, and then again in Clint Eastwood’s 2004 Best Picture-winning movie.

To transform into Winston Churchill for the role, the actor—nominated for Best Actor in 2018—spent over four hours each day getting makeup applied and even wore a tight-fitting bodysuit similar to a Victorian corset.

I was absolutely floored by Natalie Portman’s dedication to her role in Black Swan. I remember reading that she lost around 20 pounds and pushed herself incredibly hard – sometimes training for up to 16 hours a day – to convincingly portray a ballerina struggling with mental health. It’s no surprise she won Best Actress at the 2011 Oscars; the commitment was just unbelievable!

Jared Leto, known for his transformative roles, fully committed to playing a transgender woman living with HIV for his Oscar-winning performance in 2014. He lost 40 pounds and remained in 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 think the character really required that level of dedication. It wasn’t just about the physical change, but how it impacted everything – my movement, my voice, my personality, and my emotions. It made me feel vulnerable and insecure.

The actress who won Best Actress physically transformed for her role, gaining 15 pounds of muscle to portray a mother escaping years of being held captive with her 5-year-old son, Jacob Tremblay, in the 2015 film. To fully understand her character’s experience, Larson 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. To fully become the character Lisbeth Salander, she went to extreme lengths, including getting multiple piercings, bleaching her eyebrows, and cutting her hair.

Read More

2025-12-17 19:50