The Actors Behind the Famous Makeup and Masks of '80s and '90s Cinema (31 Photos)

The '80s and '90s delivered a treasure trove of iconic movies filled with otherworldly characters, from alien creatures to robotic assassins. But behind every monster and android was a real actor bringing them to life—and many viewers still have no idea who was hiding beneath all that heavy makeup and prosthetics.





Today, we're taking a look back at the actors who brought these legendary screen figures to life and what they look like in real life out of costume.

Chewbacca

Let's start with the *Star Wars* franchise and everyone's favorite dog-like Wookiee, Chewbacca. Legend has it that George Lucas came up with the character while watching his own dog, Indiana, sitting in the passenger seat—and even based the creature's name on the Russian word for dog, *sobaka*.



The role of Chewbacca across the saga was portrayed by Peter Mayhew, who stood an imposing 7 feet 3 inches (221 cm) tall. Lucas was specifically hunting for an extraordinarily tall actor for the part, and Mayhew was an absolute perfect fit.





Beyond Chewbacca, Mayhew played the Minotaur in *Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger*, Uncle Clyde in *Terror*, and a few other screen roles.



Overall, Mayhew's filmography remains relatively modest, largely tied to the *Star Wars* universe. Beyond the original trilogy, he returned as Chewbacca in *Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith* (2005) and *Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens* (2015). In *The Force Awakens*, he shared the suit with actor Joonas Suotamo, who took over the role exclusively starting with *Episode VIII*, with Mayhew serving as a creature consultant.

R2-D2

Remember the lovable astromech droid R2-D2? Inside that iconic metallic shell was a real person: actor Kenny Baker. Though true movie buffs likely already know that piece of trivia.



Baker launched his acting career in 1960, playing a dwarf in *Circus of Horrors*. Seventeen years later, in 1977, he landed the career-defining role of R2-D2 in *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*.



Baker had to squeeze inside the cramped unit to operate the droid from within. Working conditions were notoriously brutal: during hot shoots, the metal shell turned into a sweltering furnace, causing him to faint on set from heat exhaustion.

Baker went on to play R2-D2 in Episodes V and VI, as well as the prequel trilogy. In 2015, he was brought back for *Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens* as an advisor.



Fun fact: Baker's wife, Eileen, also appeared in *Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi*, playing one of the Ewoks.

Kenny Baker passed away in August 2016 at the age of 81.

C-3PO

R2-D2's faithful protocol droid companion throughout the entire *Star Wars* saga was C-3PO, brought to life by actor Anthony Daniels.



While C-3PO and R2-D2 were inseparable friends on screen, Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker famously clashed off camera and were far from friends in real life.



Anthony Daniels holds the unique distinction of being the only actor to appear in all nine main episodic films of the *Star Wars* saga. He has also voiced the iconic droid in animated series, spin-offs, and video games.

The Predator and Harry the Bigfoot

Originally, Jean-Claude Van Damme was cast as the alien hunter in the 1987 action masterpiece *Predator* starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, creative differences on set led to Van Damme leaving the project.



The suit was completely redesigned, and the filmmakers cast Kevin Peter Hall—a towering actor standing 7 feet 2 inches (220 cm) tall—to play the titular monster.



In 1990, Hall returned to play a new Predator in *Predator 2*. Prior to that, he had also starred as the friendly hairy Bigfoot, Harry, in *Harry and the Hendersons* and its subsequent television series adaptation.



In 1990, Hall was involved in a major car crash. During emergency surgery, he contracted HIV from a contaminated blood transfusion and tragically passed away the following year at just 35 years old.

Freddy Krueger

We can't forget one of horror cinema's most legendary villains: Freddy Krueger.



In 1984, Wes Craven unleashed *A Nightmare on Elm Street*, introducing audiences to a terrifying killer who stalked teenagers inside their own dreams.



Actor Robert Englund landed the role and made it immortal. He portrayed Freddy not only in the original film, but also in six official sequels, the crossover *Freddy vs. Jason*, and two seasons of the spin-off series *Freddy's Nightmares*.



Transforming into the scarred dream demon was an arduous ordeal: Englund spent four hours in the makeup chair every day, plus another two hours having the prosthetics painstakingly removed.

Pinhead

Another nightmarish creature of the night is Pinhead, the needle-headed Cenobite leader from the *Hellraiser* franchise.



The role went to actor Doug Bradley. Interestingly, Bradley was originally offered a choice between playing a mover at the beginning of the film or Pinhead. He chose the latter—a decision that made him the unmistakable face of the entire franchise.



Bradley did eventually show his unmasked human face on screen: in the second and third installments, he played Captain Elliot Spencer, the man who eventually transformed into Pinhead.



The prosthetic application was brutal, requiring Bradley to sit motionless in the makeup chair for up to six hours at a time.

Leprechaun

No list of creature features would be complete without everyone's favorite killer leprechaun from the 1993 film *Leprechaun*.



The film featured a terrifying and sadistic Irish sprite who was ready to slaughter anyone who touched his gold. The villain was brought to life with sinister charm by actor Warwick Davis.



Warwick Davis launched his film career playing Wicket the Ewok in *Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi*, before amassing a long list of high-profile roles, including Griphook and Professor Flitwick in the *Harry Potter* series.

ALF

We also have to mention Gordon Shumway, better known to TV viewers as ALF from the hit sitcom of the same name.



For most scenes, ALF was a puppet operated by series creator Paul Fusco alongside assistant Lisa Buckley, while Lisa's husband, Bob Fappiano, controlled the alien's facial expressions remotely.

Special trapdoors and trenches were cut into the set floors so Fusco and Buckley could navigate beneath the actors.



However, ALF wasn't strictly a puppet. For full-body shots where the alien was seen walking around, actor Michu Meszaros suited up inside the costume.



Horror fans might also recognize Meszaros as Hans the butler in the 1988 cult hit *Waxwork*—a film well worth watching if you haven't seen it yet.

The Xenomorph

In Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi classic *Alien*, the terrifying Xenomorph was portrayed by Nigerian design student Bolaji Badejo.



Scott was searching for someone exceptionally tall—over 7 feet (215 cm)—when a crew member randomly bumped into Badejo at a pub and brought him in for an audition.

Standing 6 feet 10 inches (218 cm) with unusually slender, elongated limbs, Badejo was a casting miracle. His unique frame allowed the production to skip complex optical tricks—his silhouette alone looked genuinely otherworldly.



The main challenge was that Badejo had an intense fear of heights, so a scaled-down suit was crafted for traditional stunt doubles in high-wire scenes.

Rocky Dennis

The 1985 drama *Mask* told the touching story of Roy L. "Rocky" Dennis, a teenager living with a rare disfiguring condition. Actor Eric Stoltz delivered a memorable performance beneath heavy facial prosthetics.



Pennywise

Many moviegoers remember Tim Curry as Mr. Hector, the suspicious concierge in *Home Alone 2: Lost in New York*.



Curry is a remarkably charismatic actor renowned for playing iconic villains—none more chilling than Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 1990 TV adaptation of Stephen King's *It*. Spending over three hours in the makeup chair every day, Curry delivered an indelible performance.



Tragically, Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012, which largely halted his screen career and left him using a wheelchair.



Nevertheless, Curry took on a leading role in the 2024 horror movie *Stream*. The beloved actor later passed away in August 2026.

The Clown

One of the primary antagonists in the 1997 movie *Spawn* was the grotesque demon known as the Clown. The role went to actor John Leguizamo.



In addition to facial makeup, Leguizamo had to wear a suffocating fat suit weighing over 20 pounds (10 kg). The suit was agonizingly hot, and extended shooting sessions caused his skin to break out in severe blisters.