‘This Will Come Alive Or…’: Bill Skarsgård Opens Up About His Transformation Into Vampire For Nosferatu; Reveals Why He Was ‘Terrified’

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As a dedicated follower and admirer of Bill Skarsgård‘s acting prowess, witnessing his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu was an exhilarating journey! The anticipation leading up to the film’s release was palpable, and finally, on December 25, the curtains were drawn, revealing Skarsgård’s chilling makeover.

Bill Skarsgård’s remarkable metamorphosis as the terrifying vampire in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu has been shrouded in secrecy for quite some time! It wasn’t until the movie hit theaters on December 25 that audiences were able to witness the actor’s stunning transformation into the dreaded creature.

Although Skarsgård’s character Count Orlok has been in the film from the beginning, his darker is revealed much later in the plot. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, The Crow actor opened up about his heavy-prosthetic dependent look. “I never felt like the character until I had everything on. So, full makeup and full costume,” he said. 

He recalled sitting in a chair, surrounded by candles, during his first camera test when he felt one with his character. “We had done a bunch of rehearsals before that, but that was the first time where I felt the cameras were alive, and I [could] start becoming this thing,” he explained. 

Beyond just the bodily transformations, the actor needed to drop a few tones in pitch to make his voice deeper as well. Skarsgård mentioned that due to the unique physical attributes, body language, and vocal quality, the character seemed artificial and overly constructed to him.

Thus, he expressed concern about whether Orlok would convincingly play his character. “Either this performance will succeed or fail. I can’t manipulate it. It should feel genuine,” he stated. Consequently, the actor felt reassured upon receiving Eggers’ approval of his acting.

The appearance portrays a bony facial structure accentuated by prominent cheekbones giving the illusion of skin hugging the bones, and sports a mustache. Contrary to the character being portrayed as a vampire, the director aimed for Orlok to resemble an ancient, undead sorcerer instead.

According to Eggars, he had a specific image in mind for Orlok. When David created the sculpture, he took great care to avoid excessively enlarging Bill’s face while still achieving the desired appearance that I envisioned, explained Eggars, discussing the prosthetic makeup effects designer.

Regarding Skarsgård, he expressed concern over his appearance under the prosthetics, fearing he might resemble “the Grinch or a goblin” entirely. But as each piece fell into place, everything became clear and logical.

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2024-12-26 21:22