Celebrities that Used Special Visual Effects to De-Age for the Offered Roles

Harrison Ford in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny'

The most recent entry in the action series included a throwback. Harrison Ford will appear in the film's opening scene several decades younger thanks to extraordinary de-aging treatments. Although Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny won't be released until the summer of 2023, fans got a sneak preview of the gadget during the movie's teaser, which features the intrepid traveler in a flashback set in 1944.

Ford revealed in an interview with Empire that the VFX software that was utilized to de-age him was frighteningly impressive.

He remarked of the gadget, "This is the first time I've seen it where I believe it. It's a touch unsettling, said Ford. "I don't even believe I want to know how it functions, but it functions,"

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Michelle Pfeiffer in the movie 'Ant-Man and The Wasp'

Similar to the first movie, Ant-Man and The Wasp started with a flashback. The same visual techniques that made Michael Douglas appear decades younger were used this time to give viewers a chance to see Michelle Pfeiffer looking younger as well. (In the second film, Douglas also had the anti-aging procedure.) Even though Pfeiffer's body double Hayley Lovitt's face is covered by CGI of the elder actress, she was given credit as Young Janet van Dyne.

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Anthony Hopkins in the movie 'Westworld'

De-aging technology is typically utilized in big-budget movies, although Anthony Hopkins' character Dr. Ford in HBO's Westworld used it in a flashback scene. The scene's youth-restoring task was described in an interview with Thrillist by the show's visual effects supervisor, Jay Worth.

Hopkins, who was 78 at the time of filming, was reportedly referenced in previous movies and photographs as a younger man, but since the audience was allegedly less familiar with Hopkins' earlier work, the effects crew had some creative freedom with his flashback image, according to Worth.

"Before Silence of the Lambs, Sir Tony is hardly remembered in America. Naturally, we gathered as many references as we could from historical photographs, films, and other media" Worth stated. But more than anything, it ultimately came down to what felt the most like our prior selves.

Paul Reubens in the movie 'Pee-wee's Big Holiday'

Paul Reubens' 63-year-old visage was raised and wrinkled utilizing the magic of technology to reprise his role as the immortal Pee-wee Herman. The Washington Post reported that it took 10 professionals from a company called Vitality Visual Effects roughly five months to modify Reuben's appearance in every frame of the 2016 movie.

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Jennifer Connelly in the movie 'American Pastoral'

Trent Claus, the Lola VFX supervisor, said to TheWrap that his team's goal for Jennifer Connelly's role in the 2016 film American Pastoral was to replicate her appearance from The Rocketeer, when she was 19. They used de-aging technology to round out the actress' chin, cheeks, and jawline, as well as add "baby fat" to make her look more full-faced and youthful.

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Robert Downey Jr. in the movie 'Captain America: Civil War'

During one Captain America: Civil War flashback scene, audiences got to see Robert Downey Jr. when he was younger thanks to de-aging technology. 

The de-aging procedure was described to The Hollywood Reporter by Trent Claus, the award-winning Lola VFX's head of visual effects, who compared it to Photoshop but with more frames to change.

In reference to Downey Jr.'s transition into a younger Tony Stark, Claus noted, "One thing that happens to all of us is that the skin of the face gradually lowers in some regions, and needs to be "lifted" back to where it was at the age in issue. As a result of "acting with the face of an established actor," he continued, "the strain of living up to the younger looks that spectators remember" was heightened

Michael Douglas in the movie 'Ant-Man'

Michael Douglas' youthful visage in Ant-Man was created by the visual effects experts at Lola VFX, and the final product was believable. However, Peyton Reed, the director of the movie, revealed to Vanity Fair that they had a young Douglas doppelganger on hand just in case the special effects didn't work out.

I was so anxious, Reed admitted. It's the opening scene of the film if that effect didn't work. He also said that the body double and the artificially aged Douglas were mixed in the final result that appeared on televisions. "From my perspective, we wanted to gather as much content as Lola [VFX] could use to get this effect," he said.

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Samuel L. Jackson in the movie ‘Captain Marvel’

In the upcoming movie Captain Marvel, Samuel L. Jackson's Agent Nick Fury underwent a 25-year anti-aging procedure. Since Jackson appeared on film so frequently, the superhero studio had employed the technology before, but this was undoubtedly the most they had ever used it. The special effects team used references from several of his '90s films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Negotiator, and the Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace, to recreate his young appearance.

Janelle Croshaw Ralla, the Marvel special effects supervisor, told Insider that it "was very spectacular." "You could go back and look for certain frames in those movies where he appeared to have the same appearance and emotion. He merely became older."

Jackson posted an Instagram image of his character's de-aged self to express his gratitude for the technology. He wrote in the caption, "Wow, this Marvel de-aging thing is doper than I imagined!

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Jeff Bridges in the movie 'Tron: Legacy'

Jeff Bridges had to consider his age when he first featured in the 1982 movie as Clu, his original Tron role. One of Hollywood's earliest applications of anti-aging technology was Bridges' 35-year-old skinbeing grafted onto the actor in the sequel Tron: Legacy, who was 61 at the time.

"It's strange. It's fantastic news for me since it means I can now act my age," Bridges remarked around the time of the movie's 2010 premiere.

Brad Pitt in the movie 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a 2008 film starring Brad Pitt, has a lot of use for de-aging technology because the protagonist's clock ran backwards. The 44-year-old actor had to appear both young and old because the storyline focused on his character's uncommon reverse-aging illness.

Pitt's appearance in the movie appeared to change onscreen thanks to the Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscars that the movie won. Even the man wearing technology and prosthetics was grateful for the glimpse into the future.

"It was somewhat under my control. I had the opportunity to sculpt it "In 2009, Pitt informed news sources about his aging appearance. "I don't think time and gravity will be that way,"

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Johnny Depp in the movie ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’

A significant amount of de-aging was necessary behind the scenes for a lengthy flashback scene in the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film that starred a young Captain Jack Sparrow. With the use of CGI and another actor, Johnny Depp was able to take on the appearance of a younger pirate.

The anti-aging sorcery used in the 2017 film, according to Gary Brozenich of Moving Picture Company, "would have the body double watch Johnny to the slightest detail after the act." The VFX team now has a target for what youthful skin appears like and how it reacts and moves, which, regrettably, differs from older flesh.

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Mark Hamill in the movie 'The Mandalorian'

 Mark Hamill made a guest appearance in the Mandalorian season 2 finale, reprising his legendary role as Luke Skywalker and dressing the part. CGI allowed for Hamill's younger one as the beloved Jedi, but the actor, who was almost 70 at the time the episode was recorded, dispelled any doubts about his participation in the production.

The actor retweeted a behind-the-scenes image of himself in costume and on location, writing online, "This is for those who said the role was accomplished completely with CGI, without my input."

Robert De Niro in the movie 'The Irishman'

The dramatic de-aging treatment used on Robert De Niro for ‘The Irishman’ required years of planning. De Niro played Frank Sheeran for 50 years, thus throughout the movie, his character would undoubtedly need to appear both young and old. Four years before the film's release, director Martin Scorcese started working with George Lucas' special effects studio, Industrial Light & Magic.

The 76-year-old actor's de-aging, as well as those of his co-stars, including Al Pacino, required brand-new technology, according to the L.A. Times, especially since the ensemble refused to use motion-capture technology during their scene-setting. The combined efforts of visual effects experts, make-up artists, costume designers, and sound engineers produced the final product.