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The most incredible actor transformations of 2020

  • Hathaway boasts a bald head and a Joker-esque smile within a supernaturally-extended maw in her performance as the terrifying Grand High Witch in Robert Zemeckis's adaptation of Roald Dahl novel <em>The Witches</em>. <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/anne-hathaway-terrifying-the-witches-role-132819458.html" data-ylk="slk:Nightmare fuel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">Nightmare fuel</a>, for sure.(Credit: George Pimentel/Getty/Warner Bros)
    1/12

    Anne Hathaway in 'The Witches'

    Hathaway boasts a bald head and a Joker-esque smile within a supernaturally-extended maw in her performance as the terrifying Grand High Witch in Robert Zemeckis's adaptation of Roald Dahl novel The Witches. Nightmare fuel, for sure.(Credit: George Pimentel/Getty/Warner Bros)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Glenn Close was on the losing end of a major Oscars upset when her work in <em>The Wife</em> was pipped by Olivia Colman in <em>The Favourite</em>. A couple of years later, she has <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/glenn-close-hillbilly-elegy-transformation-141235010.html" data-ylk="slk:donned considerable make-up;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">donned considerable make-up</a> and an old lady wig to play a Kentucky grandmother in Netflix drama <em>Hillbilly Elegy</em>. Critical notices for the movie have been far from kind, so that Oscar may elude her yet again. (Credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty/Lacey Terrell/Netflix)
    2/12

    Glenn Close in 'Hillbilly Elegy'

    Glenn Close was on the losing end of a major Oscars upset when her work in The Wife was pipped by Olivia Colman in The Favourite. A couple of years later, she has donned considerable make-up and an old lady wig to play a Kentucky grandmother in Netflix drama Hillbilly Elegy. Critical notices for the movie have been far from kind, so that Oscar may elude her yet again. (Credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty/Lacey Terrell/Netflix)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • One of the joys of <em>Sonic the Hedgehog</em> was being able to see Jim Carrey break out his rubber-faced 90s charisma in a big way. As the villainous Dr Robotnik, he amped up his creepy darkness throughout and then, ultimately, embraced the aesthetic of the video games with a bald head, weird goggles and an enormous moustache. Presumably, the face fuzz wasn't his own. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Paramount)
    3/12

    Jim Carrey in 'Sonic the Hedgehog'

    One of the joys of Sonic the Hedgehog was being able to see Jim Carrey break out his rubber-faced 90s charisma in a big way. As the villainous Dr Robotnik, he amped up his creepy darkness throughout and then, ultimately, embraced the aesthetic of the video games with a bald head, weird goggles and an enormous moustache. Presumably, the face fuzz wasn't his own. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Paramount)
    Yahoo Movies UK
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  • Lively was a long way from red carpet glamour when she took on the role of a grieving woman who becomes a spy under the tutelage of Jude Law. The movie <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/bond-producers-eon-disappointed-after-new-movie-rhythm-section-bombs-130052974.html" data-ylk="slk:bombed at the box office;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">bombed at the box office</a>, but there was nothing wrong with Lively's transformative central performance. (Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty/Michael Kors/Eon/Paramount)
    4/12

    Blake Lively in 'The Rhythm Section'

    Lively was a long way from red carpet glamour when she took on the role of a grieving woman who becomes a spy under the tutelage of Jude Law. The movie bombed at the box office, but there was nothing wrong with Lively's transformative central performance. (Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty/Michael Kors/Eon/Paramount)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • More people probably know him as a singing snowman than as his human form, but Josh Gad changed himself in a big way for <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/artemis-fowl-set-visit-disney-blockbuster-franchise-160059711.html" data-ylk="slk:children's book adaptation Artemis Fowl;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">children's book adaptation <em>Artemis Fowl</em></a>. As the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums, he sports a massive beard and a bushy head of hair as well as a bulky coat. A long way from Olaf. (Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty/WarnerMedia/Disney)
    5/12

    Josh Gad in 'Artemis Fowl'

    More people probably know him as a singing snowman than as his human form, but Josh Gad changed himself in a big way for children's book adaptation Artemis Fowl. As the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums, he sports a massive beard and a bushy head of hair as well as a bulky coat. A long way from Olaf. (Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty/WarnerMedia/Disney)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Margot Robbie has now played Harley Quinn on several occasions — and will reprise the role again as part of the <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/james-gunn-suicide-squad-cast-203816210.html" data-ylk="slk:packed ensemble;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">packed ensemble</a> of James Gunn's <em>The Suicide Squad</em>. Robbie always transforms to play <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/birds-of-prey-harley-quinn-history-171621880.html" data-ylk="slk:Joker's former beau;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">Joker's former beau</a>, with her face daubed in white, chaotic make-up and died pigtails. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/DC/Warner Bros)
    6/12

    Margot Robbie in 'Birds of Prey'

    Margot Robbie has now played Harley Quinn on several occasions — and will reprise the role again as part of the packed ensemble of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Robbie always transforms to play Joker's former beau, with her face daubed in white, chaotic make-up and died pigtails. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/DC/Warner Bros)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Guillermo del Toro and Robert Zemeckis are both working on new takes on the story of <em>Pinocchio</em>, with the former a stop-motion take and the latter a live-action remake of the classic Disney animation. In the original story's homeland of Italy, though, Matteo Garrone used ambitious make-up effects mixed with modern CGI to transform young star Federico Ielapi into an incredibly convincing wooden puppet. (Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Vertigo Releasing)
    7/12

    Federico Ielapi in 'Pinocchio'

    Guillermo del Toro and Robert Zemeckis are both working on new takes on the story of Pinocchio, with the former a stop-motion take and the latter a live-action remake of the classic Disney animation. In the original story's homeland of Italy, though, Matteo Garrone used ambitious make-up effects mixed with modern CGI to transform young star Federico Ielapi into an incredibly convincing wooden puppet. (Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Vertigo Releasing)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Sacha Baron Cohen surprised the world when he revealed earlier this year that he had <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/sacha-baron-cohen-secretly-filmed-borat-2-085213812.html" data-ylk="slk:secretly made a Borat sequel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">secretly made a <em>Borat</em> sequel</a>. This time around, not only would the man of many faces become his famed Kazakh journalist, but he would also deploy other disguises to hide Borat from the world. The entire movie is a feast of transformations, in which Cohen becomes everything from a <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/sacha-baron-cohen-escape-borat-2-prank-114035319.html" data-ylk="slk:right-wing protest singer;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">right-wing protest singer</a> in flannel shirt, cowboy hat and overalls to President Donald Trump himself. (Credit: George Pimentel/WireImage/Amazon)
    8/12

    Sacha Baron Cohen in 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'

    Sacha Baron Cohen surprised the world when he revealed earlier this year that he had secretly made a Borat sequel. This time around, not only would the man of many faces become his famed Kazakh journalist, but he would also deploy other disguises to hide Borat from the world. The entire movie is a feast of transformations, in which Cohen becomes everything from a right-wing protest singer in flannel shirt, cowboy hat and overalls to President Donald Trump himself. (Credit: George Pimentel/WireImage/Amazon)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Under the watchful eye of Oscar-winning make-up maestro Kazu Hiro, Charlize Theron <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/bombshell-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly-makeup-transformation-115253822.html" data-ylk="slk:morphed into the Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">morphed into the Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly</a> for this drama about sexual harassment perpetrated by former CEO Roger Ailes. It appears to be a subtle transformation, but its exact detail required <a href="https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/kazu-hiro-bombshell-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly-nicole-kidman-adam-sandler" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:extensive effort;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">extensive effort</a> on the part of Hiro. (Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage/Lionsgate)
    9/12

    Charlize Theron in 'Bombshell'

    Under the watchful eye of Oscar-winning make-up maestro Kazu Hiro, Charlize Theron morphed into the Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly for this drama about sexual harassment perpetrated by former CEO Roger Ailes. It appears to be a subtle transformation, but its exact detail required extensive effort on the part of Hiro. (Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage/Lionsgate)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Tom Hanks playing Mister Rogers is perhaps the ultimate casting no-brainer. Marielle Heller presumably had a very short shortlist when she sought to cast the children's TV legend for <em>A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood</em>. As <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI0UpRNq1xg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:this behind-the-scenes featurette;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">this behind-the-scenes featurette</a> explains, it's essentially some eyebrow work and a wig, but the result is an uncanny evocation of an iconic American figure. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Sony)
    10/12

    Tom Hanks in 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood'

    Tom Hanks playing Mister Rogers is perhaps the ultimate casting no-brainer. Marielle Heller presumably had a very short shortlist when she sought to cast the children's TV legend for A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood. As this behind-the-scenes featurette explains, it's essentially some eyebrow work and a wig, but the result is an uncanny evocation of an iconic American figure. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Sony)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • Kevin James is known as the cuddly leading man of broad comedies like <em>Paul Blart: Mall Cop</em> and a regular supporting player in Adam Sandler movies. He shaved his head, grew a sinister beard and daubed on a swastika head tattoo to play the dangerous Nazi at the heart of horror movie <em>Becky. </em>A great example of a <a href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/comic-actors-dark-roles-151300775.html" data-ylk="slk:comedian going very dark;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">comedian going very dark</a> indeed. (Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Vertigo Releasing)
    11/12

    Kevin James in 'Becky'

    Kevin James is known as the cuddly leading man of broad comedies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop and a regular supporting player in Adam Sandler movies. He shaved his head, grew a sinister beard and daubed on a swastika head tattoo to play the dangerous Nazi at the heart of horror movie Becky. A great example of a comedian going very dark indeed. (Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Vertigo Releasing)
    Yahoo Movies UK
  • There's plenty of transformation going on in this year's belated <em>Bill and Ted</em> threequel, with William Sadler once again becoming the Grim Reaper and Anthony Carrigan stealing scenes as robot assassin Dennis. The most memorable sequence of transformation, however, comes when Bill and Ted travel into the future and come across themselves in prison, musclebound and covered in tattoos. A most bogus future, dude. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Michael Tullberg/Getty/Warner Bros)
    12/12

    Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in 'Bill and Ted Face the Music'

    There's plenty of transformation going on in this year's belated Bill and Ted threequel, with William Sadler once again becoming the Grim Reaper and Anthony Carrigan stealing scenes as robot assassin Dennis. The most memorable sequence of transformation, however, comes when Bill and Ted travel into the future and come across themselves in prison, musclebound and covered in tattoos. A most bogus future, dude. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Michael Tullberg/Getty/Warner Bros)
    Yahoo Movies UK
Hathaway boasts a bald head and a Joker-esque smile within a supernaturally-extended maw in her performance as the terrifying Grand High Witch in Robert Zemeckis's adaptation of Roald Dahl novel <em>The Witches</em>. <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/anne-hathaway-terrifying-the-witches-role-132819458.html" data-ylk="slk:Nightmare fuel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">Nightmare fuel</a>, for sure.(Credit: George Pimentel/Getty/Warner Bros)
Glenn Close was on the losing end of a major Oscars upset when her work in <em>The Wife</em> was pipped by Olivia Colman in <em>The Favourite</em>. A couple of years later, she has <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/glenn-close-hillbilly-elegy-transformation-141235010.html" data-ylk="slk:donned considerable make-up;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">donned considerable make-up</a> and an old lady wig to play a Kentucky grandmother in Netflix drama <em>Hillbilly Elegy</em>. Critical notices for the movie have been far from kind, so that Oscar may elude her yet again. (Credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty/Lacey Terrell/Netflix)
One of the joys of <em>Sonic the Hedgehog</em> was being able to see Jim Carrey break out his rubber-faced 90s charisma in a big way. As the villainous Dr Robotnik, he amped up his creepy darkness throughout and then, ultimately, embraced the aesthetic of the video games with a bald head, weird goggles and an enormous moustache. Presumably, the face fuzz wasn't his own. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Paramount)
Lively was a long way from red carpet glamour when she took on the role of a grieving woman who becomes a spy under the tutelage of Jude Law. The movie <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/bond-producers-eon-disappointed-after-new-movie-rhythm-section-bombs-130052974.html" data-ylk="slk:bombed at the box office;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">bombed at the box office</a>, but there was nothing wrong with Lively's transformative central performance. (Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty/Michael Kors/Eon/Paramount)
More people probably know him as a singing snowman than as his human form, but Josh Gad changed himself in a big way for <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/artemis-fowl-set-visit-disney-blockbuster-franchise-160059711.html" data-ylk="slk:children's book adaptation Artemis Fowl;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">children's book adaptation <em>Artemis Fowl</em></a>. As the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums, he sports a massive beard and a bushy head of hair as well as a bulky coat. A long way from Olaf. (Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty/WarnerMedia/Disney)
Margot Robbie has now played Harley Quinn on several occasions — and will reprise the role again as part of the <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/james-gunn-suicide-squad-cast-203816210.html" data-ylk="slk:packed ensemble;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">packed ensemble</a> of James Gunn's <em>The Suicide Squad</em>. Robbie always transforms to play <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/birds-of-prey-harley-quinn-history-171621880.html" data-ylk="slk:Joker's former beau;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">Joker's former beau</a>, with her face daubed in white, chaotic make-up and died pigtails. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/DC/Warner Bros)
Guillermo del Toro and Robert Zemeckis are both working on new takes on the story of <em>Pinocchio</em>, with the former a stop-motion take and the latter a live-action remake of the classic Disney animation. In the original story's homeland of Italy, though, Matteo Garrone used ambitious make-up effects mixed with modern CGI to transform young star Federico Ielapi into an incredibly convincing wooden puppet. (Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Vertigo Releasing)
Sacha Baron Cohen surprised the world when he revealed earlier this year that he had <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/sacha-baron-cohen-secretly-filmed-borat-2-085213812.html" data-ylk="slk:secretly made a Borat sequel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">secretly made a <em>Borat</em> sequel</a>. This time around, not only would the man of many faces become his famed Kazakh journalist, but he would also deploy other disguises to hide Borat from the world. The entire movie is a feast of transformations, in which Cohen becomes everything from a <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/sacha-baron-cohen-escape-borat-2-prank-114035319.html" data-ylk="slk:right-wing protest singer;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">right-wing protest singer</a> in flannel shirt, cowboy hat and overalls to President Donald Trump himself. (Credit: George Pimentel/WireImage/Amazon)
Under the watchful eye of Oscar-winning make-up maestro Kazu Hiro, Charlize Theron <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/bombshell-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly-makeup-transformation-115253822.html" data-ylk="slk:morphed into the Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">morphed into the Fox News presenter Megyn Kelly</a> for this drama about sexual harassment perpetrated by former CEO Roger Ailes. It appears to be a subtle transformation, but its exact detail required <a href="https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/kazu-hiro-bombshell-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly-nicole-kidman-adam-sandler" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:extensive effort;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">extensive effort</a> on the part of Hiro. (Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage/Lionsgate)
Tom Hanks playing Mister Rogers is perhaps the ultimate casting no-brainer. Marielle Heller presumably had a very short shortlist when she sought to cast the children's TV legend for <em>A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood</em>. As <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI0UpRNq1xg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:this behind-the-scenes featurette;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">this behind-the-scenes featurette</a> explains, it's essentially some eyebrow work and a wig, but the result is an uncanny evocation of an iconic American figure. (Credit: P. Lehman/Barcroft Media/Getty/Sony)
Kevin James is known as the cuddly leading man of broad comedies like <em>Paul Blart: Mall Cop</em> and a regular supporting player in Adam Sandler movies. He shaved his head, grew a sinister beard and daubed on a swastika head tattoo to play the dangerous Nazi at the heart of horror movie <em>Becky. </em>A great example of a <a href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/comic-actors-dark-roles-151300775.html" data-ylk="slk:comedian going very dark;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link">comedian going very dark</a> indeed. (Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Vertigo Releasing)
There's plenty of transformation going on in this year's belated <em>Bill and Ted</em> threequel, with William Sadler once again becoming the Grim Reaper and Anthony Carrigan stealing scenes as robot assassin Dennis. The most memorable sequence of transformation, however, comes when Bill and Ted travel into the future and come across themselves in prison, musclebound and covered in tattoos. A most bogus future, dude. (Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Michael Tullberg/Getty/Warner Bros)
Tom Beasley
·Contributor

Actors love the opportunity to transform. There’s no better way to become somebody else than by looking nothing like the person you were when you arrived on set.

This year might not have been one packed with mega-budget blockbusters and huge releases due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, but the world of movies has stepped up to the plate to provide plenty of excellent stuff for cinephiles to chew on.

So, from blockbusters to Oscar-nominated dramas, here are the most dramatic and impressive transformations pulled off by actors in movies released in the UK in 2020.

Read more: The most impressive transformations of 2019