19 Times Actors Genuinely Caught Me Off Guard With How Different They Look In Real Life

I wanna know where HBO hid all of Gwendoline's glamour.

We all know that actors often have to step out of their own clothes, their own style, hell, even their own SKIN to portray the people they do, but sometimes the ~subtlest~ of changes can scream the loudest.

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Subtle meaning NOT... "doesn't Karen Gillan look different as Nebula?"

Because we all know Karen doesn't have black eyes and blue skin, but did you clock these 19 actors who tricked us into thinking they looked one way, but really they look NOTHING LIKE their on-screen counterparts?

1. Catherine O'Hara as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek

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I think we all fell in love with Moira and her penchant for monochrome couture and outlandish wigs. But in real life, Catherine often appears wayyyy more muted than her on-screen counterpart.

2. Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys

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Homelander might be an amoral megalomaniac, but he always keeps his look very clean and... Blonde. Antony, on the other hand, is much more rugged and naturally brunette... Mmmm!

3. Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in Orange Is The New Black

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I could honestly pick almost anyone from OITNB, but I think Uzo's transformation is one of the most surprising. She goes from indelicate inmate to sexaayy mama!

4. Tilda Swinton as Dianna in Trainwreck

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If you only know Tilda from Trainwreck, first off, shame on you. Secondly, you might be surprised to learn she looks nothing like her TANtastic counterpart.

5. Shannon Purser as Barb Holland in Stranger Things

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Remember Barb?? She was kinda serving "mum chic" back in season one of Stranger Things, but outside of the show Shannon is much more fashion-forward.

6. Lizzie Caplan as Janis Ian in Mean Girls

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Lizzy first came to our attention as alt queen Janis, and I was certainly bowled over to find out that when out of character, she looks like a straight-up glamazon!

7. Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute in The Office

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You may be shocked to see that Dwight is actually a pretty normal-looking guy out of character! Like, Rainn Wilson actually looks pretty approachable.

8. Rachel Brosnahan as Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

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I know the series is set in the 1950s/'60s, but I'm always surprised when I see Rachel out of character with her natural blonde locks!

9. Siobhán McSweeney as Sister Michael in Derry Girls

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You may think of Siobhán as Sister Michael in her nun's habit with her black hair showing, but she's actually a platinum blonde IRL. Who knew?

10. Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad

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Bryan shed his usual "dad" look to play Walter White, and when he transitioned back after finishing Breaking Bad, we were all shook by the contrast.

11. Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent in Heartstopper

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If you've watched Heartstopper, you might think of Yasmin as quite shy and unpretentious. Outside of the show, however, she's a traffic-stopping presence on every red carpet she attends!

12. Emilia Clarke as Daenerys "Khaleesi" Targaryen in Game of Thrones

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I think many of us were originally led to believe that Emilia was a blonde. In real life, she often sports dark hair, and has a much more up-to-date wardrobe. I personally think both are a KO.

13. Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in Twilight

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I was pretty gutted when I realised that Rob is remarkably hairier and a bit more unkempt than his vampiric twin. I knew those brows were too good to be true!

14. Emma Corrin as Marion Taylor in My Policeman

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If you only know Emma from their roles in period dramas like My Policeman, The Crown, or Lady Chatterley's Lover, you might be surprised to find out that they are visually more at home on a Westwood runway than in a palace or a stately home!

15. Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones

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We're used to seeing Lena in a gown with either her long flowing hair or her short blonde crop, but IRL she's closer to her punky mum role in Fighting with My Family.

16. Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones

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Brienne is my fave GOT character, but I could never have been prepared for how breathtakingly stylish Gwendoline is off set. I can't help but STAN.

17. Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong in Sex Education

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How do they make Eric look so nerdy when Ncuti himself is a total bombshell? Trying not to be reductive here, but Ncuti just oozes cool IRL. (Trust me, I've interviewed him twice and a suaver man alive there is not).

18. Megan Mullally as Karen Walker in Will & Grace

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Without her signature hairpiece, bougie attire, and dark locks, Megan looks worlds apart from her role as New York's richest gay girlfriend, Karen Walker!

19. Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders

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How is it possible for a person to be so sexy in character, and just your average bloke out of it? Something hits different about Cillian as Thomas, and it's not just the undercut and threads.

Did we miss anyone out? Shout them out in the comments below!