# List of attractive actors who became ugly for a role **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455 "2011-01-05T04:15:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/21 "2011-01-05T18:15:53Z")
Claire Danes as Temple Grandin. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/22 "2011-01-05T18:55:50Z")
There’s a difference between “overweight” and “ugly.” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/23 "2011-01-05T18:59:15Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > There’s a difference between “overweight” and “ugly.” Yeah, but if an actor who is typically thin and fit gains a lot of weight, it can make them look unattractive. Not necessarily, but possibly. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/24 "2011-01-05T19:08:36Z")
Johnny Depp in half his movies. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/25 "2011-01-05T19:13:19Z")
Not sure how attractive these two are normally considered, but Gary Oldman in \*Hannibal \*is gruesome looking, and Edward Norton as the leprous king in \*Kingdom of Heaven \*is mostly masked, but there is a brief glimpse of his disfigured face. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/26 "2011-01-05T19:16:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Yeah, but if an actor who is typically thin and fit gains a lot of weight, it can make them look unattractive. Not necessarily, but possibly. This discussion reminded me of another example: Gwyneth Paltrow in _Shallow Hal_. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/27 "2011-01-05T19:27:41Z")
Steve Martin in _Roxane_ . . . don’t know if that counts; he’s handsome but not primarily known for his beauty, and all he did was put on a fake nose; but the story is **about** his body dysmorphia. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/28 "2011-01-05T19:28:12Z")
Lea Thompson in frowzy old-age makeup as Marty McFly’s mom in _Back to the Future_. Can’t find a picture online. William Shatner, likewise, in the original _Star Trek_ episode “The Deadly Years”: [http://uncletaz.com/tazimgz/startrekimg/Kirk\_prematurely\_aged,\_The\_Deadly\_Years.jpg](http://uncletaz.com/tazimgz/startrekimg/Kirk_prematurely_aged,_The_Deadly_Years.jpg) And Dustin Hoffman, as the very old Jack Crabb in _Little Big Man_: [http://static.thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/files/2010/01/littlebigman.jpg](http://static.thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/files/2010/01/littlebigman.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/29 "2011-01-08T11:33:43Z")
Just watched Hilary Swank in _Conviction_ and props to Juliette Lewis, broken teeth and all. ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/30 "2011-01-08T23:05:22Z")
I always thought Lon Chaney was pretty handsome (not pretty…he’s a bit too craggy for that) without all his slap on. Also, seconding Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovitch. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/31 "2011-01-09T02:23:03Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Sandra Bullock in Babe. I don’t remember her being in that movie. What was her role? ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/32 "2011-01-09T03:31:26Z")
No love.disgust for R De Niro in “Raging Bull”? He looked downright sad at the end, what with the weight and the cauliflowering and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/33 "2011-01-09T04:43:19Z")
Hold on here folks… is the OP talking about actual physical transformations, or just makeup transformations? Those are two very different things. I thought the OP was asking about actual physical transformations, since his answer of **Charlize Theron**. However, I have no idea what **Jared Leto** did in _Chapter 27_. **Eric Stoltz** , for example, was all make-up. I thought he did a great job in that movie, but the make-up department did better. **Charlize Theron** - the actual weight gain and loss was all her. That’s impressive. **Roberd De Niro** - _Raging Bull_. He went through a 50 lb weight swing in that movie. In _Full Metal Jacket_, **Vincent D’onofrio** had to gain and lose 40 lbs or so to play Private Pyle. **Tom Hanks** losing 40 lbs or so in _Castaway_ I don’t know if **Renée Zellweger** counts for _Bridgett Jones Diary_. I heard she put on weight for the role, but I don’t know if that’s true. These types of transformations are in my mind what should count. Oh, and let’s not forget **Quentin Tarantino** , who is the ugliest man ever committed to film on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/34 "2011-01-09T07:32:37Z")
Kristen Bell in You Again. Although personally, I found the thick glasses, acne, and $8 haircut to make her even hotter, but I’m attracted to nerds. > [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > However, I have no idea what **Jared Leto** did in _Chapter 27_. He ate nothing but McDonalds Fish Sandwiches and drank nothing but melted ice cream in order to gain weight for the film. He also got gout in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/35 "2011-01-09T14:00:02Z")
John Hurt in _The Elephant Man_ Unless we’re ruling out makeup ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/36 "2011-01-09T14:13:51Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Hold I don’t know if **Renée Zellweger** counts for _Bridgett Jones Diary_. I heard she put on weight for the role, but I don’t know if that’s true. “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” And she has never looked more beautiful in a movie. Look at her at the end when she’s kissing Colin Firth. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/37 "2011-01-09T15:36:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > [Boris Karloff](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1067030528/nm0000472) was rather handsome, without the neck bolts. For some reason he reminds me of Hugh Laurie in this picture, if Hugh Laurie put on some weight. > [@mike\_ahndembroak](#): > > Javier Bardem in _No Country For Old Men_. I don’t know what you’re talking about… he ROCKED that haircut and those late '70s/early '80s clothes. ETA: Oh, and as for the OP, the only one that comes to mind that someone else hasn’t already mentioned is Ryan Reynolds in _Just Friends_ (makeup only, AFAIK). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/38 "2011-01-09T17:42:29Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Angelica Huston in about half of her movies. Yeah, but in her case, she doesn’t have all that far to go. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/39 "2011-01-10T19:36:28Z")
Amy Sedaris in Strangers with Candy. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455/40 "2011-01-10T20:02:04Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > He ate nothing but McDonalds Fish Sandwiches and drank nothing but melted ice cream in order to gain weight for the film. He also got gout in the process. Eww. Aren’t there much more fun ways to get fat? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-of-attractive-actors-who-became-ugly-for-a-role/566455.md?page=3)