Top 10 Most Painful Costumes Worn By Actors

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Painful Costumes Worn By Actors. For this list, we’ll be looking at character outfits that were so painful that it caused health issues or major acting difficulties for the stars of these films. Which of these costumes makes you wince in sympathy? Let us know in the comments.

#10: RoboCop

“RoboCop 3” (1993)
It’s never easy stepping into the shoes of an iconic movie character. Even so, Robert Burke faced an extra challenge when he took over RoboCop’s metal outfit from Peter Weller. The suit that gave the cyborg police officer his name was created for “RoboCop 2” and was repurposed for the third installment. Weller’s hand-me-down suit was tight and painful for Burke. On top of the pinching pieces, the complicated contraption of fiberglass and steel weighed more than a hundred pounds. Imagine trying to take down corrupt corporations while carrying around the weight of an entire extra person on your shoulders.

#9: Maleficent

“Maleficent” (2014)
Although the costume for the Mistress of Evil was a lot to deal with, Angelina Jolie couldn’t complain too much. After all, the creators credit her as a driving force behind the design. In order to make this classic animated villain come to life, Jolie pushed for prosthetics to alter her face. The cheek pieces, nose piece, pointy ears and sharp teeth took hours to apply each day. Then, Jolie would often wear them for 16 hours at a time. Ultimately, it was the elaborate headpiece that was the biggest pain in the neck. The twisting horns gave her another foot of height and Jolie confessed that she kept running into things on the set.

#8: Apocalypse

“X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016)
Since Apocalypse was the first and most powerful mutant in the X-Men universe, he needed to be more massive than anyone else in the film. In order to achieve this god-like stature, Oscar Isaac wore high heeled boots and a suit that weighed 40 pounds. The costume had 13 moving pieces all layered on top of each other. In order to stay cool, he had to have cold water piped in through tubes. Between takes, he’d be isolated in a cooling tent, while his ears filled with sweat under the mask and helmet. After a long day of filming, it took hours to scrape off all of the makeup and prosthetics.

#7: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1990)
It’s not easy being green. At least it wasn’t for the four actors playing these crime-fighting, pizza loving reptiles of the 90’s. The full-body costumes created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop were a combination of foam rubber latex and state-of-the-art animatronics. When combined, the costumes and technology weighed more than 70 pounds. Since the actors were sealed into the suits, they quickly became hot and claustrophobic. While filming in the North Carolina heat, cool air had to be funneled in through their mouth holes. Even so, the four main actors claimed they each lost 20 pounds over the course of the film.

#6: Black Widow

“The Avengers” (2012)
Filming “The Avengers” in the desert of New Mexico was grueling for all of the Marvel heroes. However, Scarlett Johansson’s skin-tight Black Widow costume caused her to hallucinate during a fight scene. The actress compared her costume to a wetsuit that made her sweat so much she had to wring out her socks. While filming, she went through a series of these suits, as the material would shred during action sequences. Thankfully, Johansson was able to spend more time in civilian clothes in later films. By the time she starred in “Black Widow,” her costumes were designed for movement and comfort.

#5: C-3PO

“Star Wars” franchise (1977-)
You might think that the most uncomfortable costume in the Star Wars universe would the thickly furred Chewbacca. Although Peter Mayhew had to put up with a terrible smell every time his hairy attire got wet, it wasn’t nearly as bad as what Anthony Daniels had to put up with as C-3PO. The golden robot was made up of multiple pieces that, once put together, meant he could hardly bend any part of his body. It pinched and scratched, and at the end of the day, Daniels would walk away with a body full of bruises. His field of vision was narrow and sound was amplified inside to an almost deafening level. Ultimately, Daniels compared it to the medieval torture device, the Iron Maiden.

#4: Catwoman

“Batman Returns” (1992)
The image of Michelle Pfeiffer cracking a whip in her slick Catwoman suit is impossible to forget. Wearing it was definitely an unforgettable experience for the actress as well. She had to be covered in baby powder and then vacuum-sealed into the skin-tight suit. The mask was so tight that it often choked her and pushed on her face. When Anne Hathaway took on the role in 2012, she also struggled with her body-hugging costume. In an effort to appear both thin and muscular, she claimed to pretty much live at the gym.

#3: Gimli

“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy (2001-03)
Many of the actors in this epic fantasy adventure spent hours in the makeup chair to transform into their Middle Earth counter-parts. However, John Rhys-Davies’ experience wasn’t just long, but also extremely painful. The adhesive that was used to glue on the prosthetics peeled the skin away from his face, especially around his eyes. Putting on Gimli’s dwarf features became so painful for Rhys-Davies, that his stunt double was used whenever possible. Although he enjoyed his role, Rhys-Davies knew that he wouldn’t be returning for future films. He couldn’t endure another round of the torturous makeup.

#2: Lord of Darkness

“Legend” (1985)
In order to play the devil-like Lord of Darkness, Tim Curry spent 5 ½ hours in the makeup chair. It’s not surprising considering his entire head and body were covered in extensive makeup and prosthetics. To achieve the satyr inspired goat-hooves, he had to walk on 18 inch stilts. In addition, the slitted yellow eyes were achieved through painful contact lenses that covered his entire eye. To make things worse, the three-foot fiberglass horns were so heavy they caused neck-pain, despite the built-in harness. Removing it all required an hour long bath to liquify the adhesive. At one point Curry panicked and started to take everything off too early, removing portions of his skin in the process.

#1: The Grinch

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
Jim Carrey’s over-the-top portrayal of the green Christmas meany is legendary. Shockingly, he came close to quitting on the first day of filming. After his first eight-hour stint in the makeup chair, Carrey told director Ron Howard that he wouldn’t be able to continue. Becoming The Grinch required a skin-tight costume, gloves with extended fingers, prosthetics, makeup and contact lenses. Carrey compared the full-body coverage to being buried alive. To help, the production team hired an expert who trained CIA operatives to endure torture. After 92 days in the makeup, Carrey said he’d basically become a Zen master.