Outline:
Being an actor can appear dazzling, with all the high-profile movie premieres, private events, and lavish getaways — all while wearing sophisticated and fashionable designer attire. However, it’s not always as straightforward as it seems from the outside, particularly when considering the demanding process of producing films and television shows with a large team working non-stop.
Dressing in costumes is a crucial element of the acting process, yet there are instances where an actor may decline to wear specific garments—whether due to practical challenges, finding them uncomfortable, or simply not wanting to. Occasionally, this refusal stems from being difficult, reminiscent of old Hollywood starlets, but more frequently, wearing these outfits can be a matter of serious consequence. In this list, we’ll examine 10 instances where an actor refused a costume and reveal the behind-the-scenes reasons.
Read more: Actors Who Unquestionably Declined to Collaborate
Paul Mescal
As one of the most promising new stars in Hollywood, joining the cast of Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel “Gladiator IIwas intended to be a role that would launch Paul Mescal’s stardom. And, in a discussion with Ariana Grande for Variety’s ‘Actors on Actors’YouTubeseries, Mescal shared how it was a dream come true to wear the famous gladiator armor from the original movie as the son of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). However, there was one part of the outfit he refused – the “large” wigs they attempted to put on him.
Mescal is quick to emphasize that they “were working with the top hair and makeup team globally,” but the problem was that he simply “doesn’t have a head for wigs.” As he was getting ready for the film’s intricate fight scenes, he was concerned that wearing a wig would need constant attention and readjustment as it moved on his head. Instead of constantly stopping to return to the hair and makeup area, Mescal decided to forgo the wig so he could “go for it” during every take.
Amanda Seyfried
At this stage, it seems like nearly every actor and actress in Hollywood, regardless of age, has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, one actress who declined the opportunity was Amanda Seyfried. In an interview withComicBook.com, Seyfried stated that she declined an opportunity to be part of James Gunn’s “The Guardians of the Galaxy” as Gamora.
The reason she declined the role of the alien assassin wasn’t due to artistic considerations, even though Seyfried acknowledges she “isn’t really a Marvel movie fan.” Instead, it stemmed from a discussion with Jennifer Lawrence about how lengthy the process was for her to be made up as Mystique in the “X-Men” films. For Seyfried, that time spent in the makeup chair “feels like hell on earth”— not only because of the long duration required to apply the makeup, but also because of the limited time available on set before needing to return to remove it all.
Julie Caitlin Brown
“Battlestar Galactica” was among television’s most ambitious space opera series, aiming to apply a literary style to the genre with a carefully planned storyline that would follow the evolution of its characters and their distinct alien civilizations, as well as the entire universe over many years.
Writer J. Michael Straczynski developed an ambitious five-season storyline that aimed to present a single, sweeping narrative in the style of “a novel for television.” However, the distinction between novels and TV is that it’s relatively simple to describe a character like Na’Toth (Julie Caitlin Brown), a reptilian being with orange skin and dark markings. Yet, physically transforming into an alien form can be significantly more challenging for an actor than merely spending time in the makeup chair every day. In an interview withThe SciFi World, Brown shared that using this makeup caused her face “extreme discomfort.” In fact, it was so painful that Brown decided to leave the series after the first season, worried that continuing could result in long-term harm. This undoubtedly disrupted the original five-season plan, but it was wise for Brown to step down before any serious damage occurred.
Virginia Hey
Many science fiction series included alien characters, but only in “Farscape” did the Jim Henson Company’s artists give them a tangible presence. By using a mix of makeup and special effects, the aliens in “Farscape” stood out as unique to television, featuring vibrant and grotesque appearances that felt truly otherworldly — though this wasn’t always simple for some of the cast members.
Portraying Pa’U Zotoh Zhaan, Virginia Hey was completely covered in blue makeup to become a blue alien priestess. However, Hey exited the series in 2002, and in an interview withBBC, Hey states that this was because “the makeup was making [her] very ill.”
“I began experiencing kidney issues after the first three months of the first season,” she stated. “I don’t believe I could have endured for three years if I hadn’t engaged in daily intensive healing practices.” On herpersonal website, Hey described how her “body was unable to handle the chemicals and became weak, [her] kidneys bled [every] day for [three] years, [and] it wasn’t able to detoxify properly because of the non-stop work and very limited sleep.” She also couldn’t escape the character during the small moments of rest she had because she shaved her head and eyebrows for the role.
At the very least, Zhaan received a respectful farewell on the series, giving her life to protect her friends. Hey also applied the makeup once more for a surprise cameo in the show’s fourth (and last) season, which was short enough to prevent any further damage to the actress.
Buddy Ebsen
If Brown and Hey believed their health problems were tough, they might discover a bit of comfort in knowing they didn’t experience the same disaster that occurred to others.Buddy Ebsen during the filming of “The Wizard of Oz.”
The actor known for “Beverly Hillbillies” was initially set to portray the Scarecrow, but later switched roles with Ray Bolger to become the Tin Man, Dorothy’s metal friend who desperately needs a heart. To change from human to tin, Ebsen was wrapped in buckram and leather, then painted silver using aluminum dust. Looking back with today’s medical knowledge, we now understand this was a dangerous combination, but unfortunately, Ebsen inhaled the toxic aluminum, resulting in a serious allergic reaction.
Ebsen shared the intense tale in his memoir “The Reverse of Oz”One night in bed, I woke up screaming,” he mentioned in the book. “My arms were cramping from my fingers up, curling at the same time so I couldn’t use one arm to straighten the other.” Ebsen left the film after this incident, and Jack Haley took over the role, this time without the aluminum makeup.
Emma Watson
Is there a single dress more legendary than Belle’s golden gown from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast?” When she wears the elaborate gown for her dance with the Beast during the emotional peak of their relationship, it became one of the most unforgettable costumes in film history. So when Emma Watson was chosen to portray Belle in the 2017 live-action adaptation, replicating not only the appearance of the dress but also the character’s elegant motion throughout the scene was crucial.
Watson elaborated extensively on the significance of this sequence for her during an interview withEntertainment WeeklyI truly immersed myself in creating the dress, ensuring it was completely fanciful and enchanting,” she stated. “The scene where I wear this dress and perform that dance really conveys the story of Beast and Belle falling in love… It’s pure, joyful escape. You’re taken to a different world.
However, one challenge in translating animation into real life is that replicating it precisely can be quite difficult. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran described how Watson ensured that the dress she wore during the “sequence” was lightweight and had ample movement, allowing for the seamless expression of emotion in the scene. This meant Watson declined to wear a corset, which might have been typical for a dress of that era, as it would have restricted her ability to move gracefully through the ballroom.
Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly
Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly are often considered two of the most stunning women to have ever appeared on the big screen, with their attire in movies such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Rear Window” continuing to influence fashion today. However, despite this, they were not always pleased with the costumes they were given to wear.
For example: both actresses were well-known for their modest appearances, which enabled them to portray the “girl next door” character in numerous movies. Due to this, they both declined to use padded bras and shoulder pads that Hollywood executives thought would enhance their figure. The women remained firm in their decision and refused to wear these outfits that would alter their appearance, resulting in the characters they portrayed on screen being a more accurate representation of their true selves. As costume designer Edith Head beautifully expressed in her book “The Dress Doctor,””There was no deception in [Grace Kelly’s] makeup or clothing; she never dressed to draw attention; she never dressed like an actress; she dressed like Grace Kelly, and she was Grace Kelly.” With this choice, the two helped establish a standard for women in the future to wear exactly what they desired.
Elliot Page
Dressing in a costume is intended to assist an actor in embracing the mental state of a new character, but in Elliot Page’s memoir “Pageboy,” he shares the experience of declining a role in a literary adaptation of a well-known novel — likely Cary Fukunaga’s “Jane Eyre”— as he no longer felt at ease wearing women’s clothing.
I envisioned myself in a woman’s attire from the [mid-19th] century. The dress, the shoes, the hair appeared before my mind’s eye. It was overwhelming after donning the mask for award season,” he mentioned in the book (viaIndieWire). “I realized that if I were to do it, I would want to take my own life.”
Page mentioned that it “wasn’t easy to explain to [his] agents that [he] couldn’t accept a role because of the clothing,” as some individuals urged him to “just wear the … clothes.” However, Page understood that he couldn’t do so due to the way people reacted when they saw him in feminine attire, as if “[he] had achieved something extraordinary.” Instead of yielding to the pressure, Page advocated for roles that aligned with his gender identity, including having his character on Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” transition alongside him.
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Gene Hackman
We have now encountered various reasons why an actor might decline a specific costume for their role. Perhaps it was too inconvenient, imposed upon them by unethical producers, or even posed a real danger. However, with Gene Hackman during the filming of Richard Donner’s “Superman,” he simply had no desire to participate.
Even if you’ve never laid eyes on a single photo of Superman’s main antagonist, Lex Luthor, you likely know that the villain is well-known for being bald. However, according to reports, Hackman declined to shave his head for the role or wear a bald cap, believing that his portrayal of Lex Luthor concealed his baldness with hairpieces. Director Richard Donner agreed to this, but Hackman was so determined not to lose any hair for the part that he also refused to trim his mustache. Instead of yielding, Donner came up with a solution: he offered to shave his own mustache if Hackman did the same. Hackman accepted the deal, only to find out that Donner’s mustache was fake. “I love him for doing that,” Hackman remarked in a 2001 DVD documentary about the film. And we love him for it too, since Hackman earned the title of our favorite.version of Lex Luthor when we ranked all of them from worst to best.
Chloë Grace Moretz
Regrettably, very little has evolved in the more than 50 years since Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn resisted pressure to alter their looks; and one of the most disturbing instances of this ingrained sexism resurfaced when a 16-year-old Chloë Grace Moretz entered her trailer on set and discovered a push-up bra with silicone padding prepared for her. Moretz did not disclose which film set this happened on, but considering the timeline, it could have been the action movie “The Equalizer,” where Moretz portrayed a teenage sex worker.
Moretz attempted to dismiss the event, but acknowledges she absorbed the message that her body was an issue for the film and that she should feel dissatisfied with her looks. Following the #MeToo movement, she found a way to transform this worry into advocacy as she fought against the entertainment industry’s habit of pitting women against one another.
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