Fans will probably never forget Bill SkarsgardThe full frontal moment as the Count decrepits Orlok in Nosferatu – but the creative team behind the scenes remains just as haunted.
Heavy prosthetics are nothing new for Skarsgård, 34, as he has transformed into various levels of haunting creatures in films like He And The Raven. Added a prosthetic penis to his body for his role as Count Orlok in Nosferatu, However, it was a new experience – one that created a memorable moment not only for Skarsgård’s on-screen character but also for his partner. Nicolas Houltby Thomas Hutter and the film’s creative team.
“With [Nick’s character] Thomas, they had a scene where Orlok was sucking his blood and the penis kept rubbing on his leg and he didn’t know how to react to it,” Traci Charger, Nosferatu‘s lead makeup artist said Us every week in an exclusive interview.
“I don’t think you’ll forget this moment,” said the head of the film’s hair department. Suzanne Stokes-Muntonadded, to which Loader replied, “No, it will live forever!” »
The audience gets its own take on the prosthetic appendix in the third act when Thomas attempts to flee Orlok’s castle after realizing he was being fed by the ancient vampire. As he heads towards the cave, he attempts to sting a sleeping Orlok but wakes him up instead. As Thomas runs for his life, Orlok emerges from his sarcophagus, exposing himself without clothes.
As for why the prosthetic penis was necessary for filming, the head of the prosthetic makeup effects designer David White – who created the accessory – gave We a glimpse of the scene.
“[Bill] I knew it was going to happen, and as soon as I saw that picture in the frame, I was like, “Oh no, here are the questions about that.” Because up until that point, no one had said a word,” White said. “It was a creation beyond Bill himself… We had to find a way to make the whole body work for the shot where he comes out of his sarcophagus. So there was no way around this problem.
Hoult himself was candid about the awkward moment on set, telling She in a recent interview, after saying he could feel the prop pushing against his leg, director Robert Eggers sent him a surprise gift.
Nicolas Hoult
Aidan Monaghan“As a gift, Rob had it framed and he sent it to my house,” Hoult told the outlet, noting that he ultimately had to take the prosthetic to a framing shop after the gift arrived. damaged.
“When I went back to get him, I thought [the shop owner] I noticed how weird it was that I was potentially framing this vampire penis,” Hoult explained. “And he asked me, ‘Is this some kind of collector’s item?’ and I was like, ‘Hm, you could say that.’
Although the fake genitals may have posed some difficulty for Hoult, wearing them posed no problem for Skarsgård. White said We the actor was the ultimate “professional.”
Skarsgård was also involved in the creative process, according to his team, and helped craft Orlok’s mustache. The facial hair was initially intended to be much longer and a different color than the final product, thanks to Skarsgård’s input.
“There were several mustache sizes to choose from,” White recalls. “I offered quite a variety. At first it was a little bit big, believe it or not it was bigger than what it is now and then it was reduced and if you look closely it’s actually thinned out in the central area and it’s is made on purpose so that you can see a little more of the teeth and everything underneath.
He continued: “I added a bit of silver at the end, which I thought would be really lovely and give a bit of extra character and suggest aging, but wouldn’t take it too far. And Bill was aware of these color changes. So he agreed and wanted it to be so.
White added that during filming, Skarsgård tended to stay in character and was “quiet and in the shadows like Orlok would be”. However, seeing the actor in full costume was a lot more comical behind the scenes than one might assume.
“When he first went on set, he was half dressed and then wore sweatpants on the bottom,” Loader recalls with a laugh.
Nosferatu is now playing in theaters.
