One of the best qualities about Hollywood and filmmaking as a whole is its ability to transport its audiences to a new world and have well-known actors look and act in ways that haven't been seen before. This is often accomplished with prosthetics or wigs, which can transform someone like Marlon Brando into the Godfather right before a person's eyes. But for every great example, there are less than perfect views.
When Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady appeared in the after credits of Venom, he wore a large, curly wig that looked bad to the audience and the actor wearing it. While he will be wearing a much better wig in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, his first appearance is enough to be reminded of some of Hollywood's poorest attempts at making particular wigs look realistic.
Stephen Amell in Arrow
In Arrow, Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen is one of the most well-rounded and compelling characters to be introduced in the Arrowverse. Sadly the same can't be said for his wig during flashback scenes when he was on the island. When the long-haired and bearded Ollie first appeared in the show's premiere episode, the wig was obvious but blended well in the brief scene. But as the seasons progressed and Ollie's five years on the island were described, the wig became an afterthought and appeared less realistic with each episode.
Zachary Quinto in NOS4A2
Based on the book, NOS4A2 gave audiences a unique look at the classic vampire tale. While its story wasn't similar to the original classic, Zachary Quinto's Charlie Manx captured his stalking presence perfectly. Unfortunately, what wasn't so perfect were the many wigs the character worse. When in his older form, his stringy hair unsettled but wasn't the most believable look for a vampiric elderly monster. That being said, his full hairpiece, complete with a giant widow's peak, matched the vampire aesthetic but failed to look natural.
Taylor Lautner in Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon
When the Twilight Saga hit screens, fans worldwide were enthralled with the love triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob. However, what fans weren't in love with was Taylor Lautner's wig in the original film and its sequel, New Moon. While the look fit the character and his pack of werewolves, it failed to look natural, and its unnatural appearance was enough to take anyone out of the moment to stare at the massive hairpiece.
Serinda Swan in Inhumans
Marvel's Inhumans mini-series is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest fumbles from concept to execution. What began as a film was quickly turned into a TV series that failed to show one of Marvel's most powerful families in their prime. A great example of this is Serinda Swan's Medusa, whose power is to control her powerful hair with her mind. While the CG helped showcase her abilities, her wig was incredibly distracting as a practical effect due to its bright orange hue and massive length.
Jason Isaacs in the Harry Potter Franchise
Jason Isaac's Lucius Malfoy is one of the Harry Potter franchise's best performances. His start as a prideful wizard who aligned with Voldemort to a father struggling to keep his family together due to his decisions is compelling on its own. That being said, his silver wig didn't do the character any favors. In the earlier films, his wig was a vibrant blonde that, while far from perfect, helped convey his aristocratic lifestyle. However, by the final film, his hair was greasy and dingy, making it look even less realistic.
Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
The 2005 Fantastic Four film was a fun experience that featured some surprisingly great casting that helped sell the characters of Marvel's first family. That being said, the second film, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, felt more hollow and lost what made the first film so surprisingly endearing. The quality drop can best be shown through Jessica Alba's wig as Sue Storm. The film showed Alba wearing a massive blonde wig that looked far from natural and often didn't even look like it was sitting on her head the way it was supposed to.
To see Woody Harrelson's new and improved wig, Venom: Let There Be Carnage arrives in theaters on Oct. 1.