Actors often have to go through a lot to get that special part they’ve been dreaming of. Even today, with advanced CGI that can truly work wonders, it seems that some things are still better done the old-fashioned way — with makeup and hair artists, costume designers, and other such talented people. Thanks to them we can go back and forth in time, become absorbed by the apparent reality of a fairy tale, or find ourselves in a truly terrifying nightmare.

WeGoRo found 18 actors who became truly unrecognizable thanks to state-of-the-art makeup.

Heath Ledger — Joker

The Dark Knight

© DC Comics/BUF Compagnie  

Brad Pitt — Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

© Paramount Pictures/Gentle Giant Studios Inc.  

Maïwenn Le Besco — Diva Plavalaguna

The Fifth Element

© Gaumont/Hollywood Digital  

Ralph Fiennes — Lord Voldemort

The Harry Potter films

© 1492 Pictures/Cinesite  

Gary Oldman — Dracula

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

© American Zoetrope/Animal Makers  

Robin Williams — Mrs. Doubtfire

Mrs. Doubtfire

© 20th Century Fox Film Corporation  

Jim Carrey — Grinch

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

© Imagine Entertainment/Animal Makers  

John Leguizamo — Clown

Spawn

© New Line Cinema/C.O.R.E. Digital Picture  

Danny DeVito — Penguin

Batman Returns

© PolyGram Filmed Entertainment/4-Ward Productions  

Eddie Murphy — Sherman Klump

The Nutty Professor

© Imagine Entertainment/Light Matters Inc.  

Bill Nighy — Davy Jones

Pirates of the Caribbean — Dead Man’s Chest

© Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Animal Makers  

Peter Mayhew — Chewbacca

Star Wars

© Lucasfilm Ltd./Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)  

Tim Roth — General Thade

Planet of the Apes

© 20th Century Fox Film Corporation/4-Ward Productions  

John Travolta — Edna Turnblad

Hairspray

© Ingenious Media/Alterian Inc.  

Daveigh Chase — Samara

The Ring

© BenderSpink/Bischoff's Taxidermy and Animal FX  

Doug Jones — Abe Sapien

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

© Dark Horse Entertainment/Baseblack  

Helena Bonham Carter — Ari

Planet of the Apes

© 20th Century Fox Film Corporation/4-Ward Productions  

Robert Downey Jr. — Kirk Lazarus

Tropic Thunder

© DreamWorks SKG/Custom Film Effects