Makeup effects designer David White recently discussed the process behind Bill Skarsgård’s transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers’Nosferatu. The gothic horror reimagines F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic as the titular vampire preys upon the residents of a remote seaside village, particularlythe haunted Ellen Hutter(Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman whose husband, Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), is unwittingly drawn into the grasp of the ancient creature. Released on Christmas Day by Focus Features,Nosferatucontinues to captivate audiences with Egger’s signature atmospheric dread.
In an interview withVariety, White explainedthe meticulous process of designing Skarsgård’s prosthetics to embody the ageless yet decayed Count Orlok. He drew inspiration from Max Schreck’s 1922 portrayal of the vampire while crafting a wholly original vision for Egger’s remake. Here’s what the designer had to say about the most challenging part of the design:
I would say the most challenging part to develop was the fact thathis prosthetic makeup had to work on so many levels, and with only one sculptural look. I had to find interesting ways to meet all the criteria.
I was keen to keep his age ambiguous —ageless, so to speak. I did this by being very particular about the amount of wrinkles and obvious character lines, keeping the look more sparse with no hoods over his eyelids and no eye bags.He also has to be appealing and charismatic to Ellen and able to disguise his filthy rot and decayby keeping in the shadows as cover.
His coloration was also challenging. I devised two very different looks: one when he is in his Sarcophagus — when his “trance State” coloration is puce with bruised red blemishes and dark tones — and the other being his “day look,” which was waxen and sallow.
White also outlined theastonishing number of prosthetics used to bring Count Orlok to life.Read the details below:
Orlok hasnine prosthetics for his head and face alone: a neck, back of head, chin, cheeks, bottom and top lip, ears, nose, forehead and nose bridge.
He also has top and bottom hand prosthetics, with eight finger extensions incorporating nails, and two thumbs, each with a blender prosthetic to disguise the edges.
For Orlok’s full-body prosthetic, there are a phenomenal62 prosthetic piecesthat take ateam of sixto apply.
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Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to enduring hours in the makeup chair to embody terrifying, otherworldly creatures. His transformation intoPennywise in the 2017 remake ofItrequired two and a half hours of prosthetic application. ForNosferatu,the process was even more demanding, varying between four and six hours depending on the extent of the look. The actor donned long, pointed nails, pale skin marred with open sores, and eyes that would flash into a milky white trance state as he stalked characters like Thomas and Ellen.
Skarsgård’s Orlok becomes a more humanized yet monstrous nobility, contrasting even with Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake, which retained the bald, sunken-eyed aesthetic of the original.
Eggers envisioneda Count Orlok with a more aristocratic air. As White explained, “Orlok was of noble stature, [so] Robert really wanted him to havea mustache and forelock,” a distinct departure from the original version, which was practically hairless except for some bushy and expressive eyebrows. Skarsgård’s Orlok becomes a more humanized yet monstrous nobility, contrasting even with Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake, which retained the bald, sunken-eyed aesthetic of the original.
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Despite these differences, one signature feature persists acrossevery iteration of Count Orlok:the infamous long nails. In Skarsgård’s portrayal, these elongated, gnarled fingers remain a symbol of predation, reaching ominously from the shadows to ensnare his victims or spread a curse across an entire town. By blending timeless elements like these nails with a fresh interpretation of Orlok’s physicality, Eggers’Nosferatupreserves the haunting legacy of its lonesome predecessors while crafting a vampire whose haunting presence oozes with ghastly power in this modern iteration.
Our Take On Nosferatu’s Make-Up Design
It’s A Haunting Triumph Of Craft And Performance
Eggers’Nosferatuis a visual and atmospheric masterpiece with Skarsgård’s transformation into Count Orlok as one of its most haunting aspects. His gnarled nails and skin create an unforgettable portrait of an ancient predator who can be both charismatic and grotesque. As White balances his homage to the 1922 original with fresh additions to the ancient vampire,Nosferatunever shies away from the horror that defines him. Egger’s Count Orlok is a nobleman born out of decay and menace, a vampire who is as compelling as he is horrifying.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
