18 famous actors who changed beyond recognition for the sake of art

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.

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

Heath Ledger — Joker

The Dark Knight

Brad Pitt — Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Maïwenn Le Besco — Diva Plavalaguna

The Fifth Element

Ralph Fiennes — Lord Voldemort

The Harry Potter films

Gary Oldman — Dracula

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Robin Williams — Mrs. Doubtfire

Mrs. Doubtfire

Jim Carrey — Grinch

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

John Leguizamo — Clown

Spawn

Danny DeVito — Penguin

Batman Returns

Eddie Murphy — Sherman Klump

The Nutty Professor

Bill Nighy — Davy Jones

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest

Peter Mayhew — Chewbacca

Star Wars

Tim Roth — General Thade

Planet of the Apes

John Travolta — Edna Turnblad

Hairspray

Daveigh Chase — Samara

The Ring

Doug Jones — Abe Sapien

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Helena Bonham Carter — Ari

Planet of the Apes

Robert Downey Jr. — Kirk Lazarus

Tropic Thunder