23 Times Actors Transformed So Completely Into Their Characters, I Legitimately Couldn't Tell It Was Them

    Me looking at a picture of Christian Bale playing Dick Cheney: I hate to say it, I hope I don’t sound ridiculous, I don’t know who this man is.

    Tessa Fahey
    by Tessa Fahey

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Here's what Steve Carell looks like:

    closeup of Steve in a suit
    Momodu Mansaray / WireImage via Getty Images

    Here's Steve Carell as John Eleuthère du Pont in Foxcatcher:

    Steve transformed into John wearing a sports jacket
    Scott Garfield / Sony Pictures Classics / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Momodu Mansaray / WireImage via Getty Images, Scott Garfield / Sony Pictures Classics / Courtesy Everett Collection

    2. Here's what Nicole Kidman looks like:

    closeup of Nicole
    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

    Here's Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf in The Hours:

    Nicole transformed into Virginia smoking a cigarette
    Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images, Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    3. Here's what Jacob Tremblay looks like:

    closeup of Jacob
    Shane Anthony Sinclair / Getty Images for BFI

    Here's Jacob Tremblay as August Pullman in Wonder:

    Jacob transformed into August with a different face
    Dale Robinette / Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Shane Anthony Sinclair / Getty Images for BFI, Dale Robinette / Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    4. Here's what Margot Robbie looks like:

    closeup of Margot
    Karwai Tang / WireImage via Getty Images

    Here's Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots:

    Margot transformed into the queen
    Liam Daniel / Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Karwai Tang / WireImage via Getty Images, Liam Daniel / Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    5. Here's what Charlize Theron looks like:

    closeup of Charlize
    Kevin Winter / Getty Images

    Here's Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell:

    Charlize transformed into the anchorwoman
    Hilary Bronwyn Gayle / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Kevin Winter / Getty Images, Hilary Bronwyn Gayle / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection

    6. Here's what Christian Bale looks like:

    closeup of Christian
    Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

    Here's Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Vice:

    christian transformed into Dick Cheney with a balding head and suit
    Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures / Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images, Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures / Everett Collection

    7. Here's what Lily James looks like:

    closeup of Lily
    Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images

    Here's Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy:

    Lily transformed into Pamela wearing the iconic lifeguard swimsuit
    Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images, Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

    8. Here's what Tom Cruise looks like:

    closeup of Tom
    Neil Mockford / FilmMagic via Getty Images

    Here's Tom Cruise as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder:

    Tom transformed into Les with a balding head and square glasses
    DreamWorks Pictures

    Side by side:

    Neil Mockford / FilmMagic via Getty Images, DreamWorks Pictures

    9. Here's what Tilda Swinton looks like:

    closeup of tilda
    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images

    Here's Tilda Swinton as Dr. Josef Klemperer in Suspiria:

    Tilda transformed into the old man smoking out of a pipe
    Amazon / courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images, Amazon / courtesy Everett Collection

    10. Here's what Billy Crystal looks like:

    closeup of Billy
    Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines

    Here's Billy Crystal as Miracle Max in The Princess Bride:

    Billy transformed into an old man with grey hair and a wizard hat
    20th Century Fox / Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines, 20th Century Fox / Everett Collection

    11. Here's what Jared Leto looks like:

    closeup of Jared
    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images

    Here's Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci:

    Jared transformed into Paulo with a balding head and suit
    Fabio Lovino / MGM / courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images, Fabio Lovino / MGM / courtesy Everett Collection

    12. Here's what Karen Gillan looks like:

    closeup of Karen Gillan
    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

    Here's Karen Gillan as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy:

    Karen painted blue for the role
    Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images, Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    13. Here's what Ralph Fiennes looks like:

    closeup of ralph
    Amy Sussman / Getty Images

    Here's Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies:

    Ralph transformed into Voldemort with a bald head no nose
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Amy Sussman / Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    14. Here's what Gary Oldman looks like:

    closeup of Gary
    David M. Benett / Getty Images for Apple

    Here's Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour:

    Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    David M. Benett / Getty Images for Apple, Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    15. Here's what Joey King looks like:

    closeup of joey
    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

    Here's Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in The Act:

    Joey transformed with large glasses, kids clothes, and in a wheelchair
    Brownie Harris / Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images, Brownie Harris / Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

    16. Here's what Bill Skarsgård looks like:

    closeup of Bill
    Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

    Here's Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in It:

    Bill dressed as a creepy clown
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    17. Here's what Heath Ledger looked like:

    closeup of Heath
    Sean Gallup / Getty Images

    Here's Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight:

    Heath transformed wearing clown makeup and messy hair
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Sean Gallup / Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    18. Here's what Rebecca Romijn looks like:

    closeup of Rebecca
    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Paramount+

    Here's Rebecca Romijn as Mystique in the X-Men movies:

    Rebecca painted blue for the film
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Paramount+, 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    19. Here's what Colin Farrell looks like:

    closeup of colin
    David M. Benett / Max Cisotti / WireImage via Getty Images

    Here's Colin Farrell as the Penguin in The Batman:

    Colin transformed into the Penguin
    Jonathan Olley / Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    David M. Benett / Max Cisotti / WireImage, Jonathan Olley / Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    20. Here's what Christopher Lloyd looks like:

    closeup of Christopher
    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Turner

    Here's Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family:

    Christopher transformed with a bald head and black eye makeup
    Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Turner, Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

    21. Here's what Zoe Saldaña looks like:

    closeup of Zoe
    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images

    Here's Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri in Avatar:

    Zoe painted blue and wearing long pointed ears as Neytiri
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic via Getty Images, 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    22. Here's what Tom Hardy looks like:

    closeup of Tom
    Ian West / PA Images via Getty Images

    Here's Tom Hardy as Al Capone in Capone:

    Tom transformed as Al smoking a cigar
    Vertical Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Side by side:

    Ian West / PA Images via Getty Images, Vertical Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

    23. Finally, here's what Doug Jones looks like:

    closeup of Doug
    Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

    Here's Doug Jones looking unrecognizable throughout, like, most of his career:

    Picturehouse / courtesy Everett Collection
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection, Fox Searchlight Pictures
    Disney+ / Courtesy Everett Collection, Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The man is just built different.

    Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

    Got any other roles that you didn't recognize actors in? Comment below!