Is it easier to make an older actor look younger than a younger actor older?
Considering how well 42-year old Matt Damon carried off the role of 17-year old Scott Thorson in Behind the Candelabra, I'm curious to know if it is easier, in terms of make-up, to make an older person look (25 years, in this case) younger than the other way around. While I can't think of a good example of a younger actor looking convincing (or not) as an older person, you'd think that it'd be easier.
Or does it vary from actor to actor? If so, which physical quality determines the effectiveness of any make-up required for the part?
Best Answer
Speaking from a theatrical background, stage-work, I will honestly say it's a combination.
The actor/actress being made up affects this. Do they have smooth skin or wrinkled, do they have a tendency to look younger/older than they are to start with? I find it's easier to make a younger person look older because it's a case of addition over reduction. To make someone look older, you can create laugh-lines, create drooping jowls or extra chin flab. You can add the wrinkles, play with the hair (roughing it and then whitening it works...or if you have liberties, even thinning it throughout the head, or balding them). When you're working in reverse, to de-age a person, you have to handle the reduction of lines and extras...
Another factor to account for is the difference of ages. It's very easy to age or reduce a person 5 to even 10 years, but a 20 year difference going either way, you're going to need serious expertise.
It's similar to drawing. In actuality, it's easier to draw or paint an adult than an infant, simply because of the features that age bring to our faces over the smoothness of infancy.
I had one fun experience when doing makeup on the "Noah" character for the show "Two By Two." Before the show, I needed to age the 40 something year old man to look like he was 900 years old. In a VERY short time, I had to de-age him to look 90 (well. 90 their time, more like 50 our time. So about a 10 years difference). Later in the show, I had to re-age him to about 900.
Effectively, I had to age him in all cases, but it was an interesting challenge...and as I'm not a professional, I found it to be a fun one...but it wasn't too difficult.
I have, however, encountered difficult situations. A production of "Drood" where Jasper was played by a 19 year old and Drood by a 32 year old. Jasper is supposed to be 6 or so years older than Drood. We opted to age the 19 year old and did nothing to Drood.
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How do they make older actors look younger?
In film and television, de-aging is a visual effects technique used to make an actor look younger, especially for flashback scenes. This is often accomplished via digitally editing the image or using computer-generated imagery (CGI) overlays or touch-ups.Is it easier to make someone look older or younger?
As a general rule-of-thumb though, I would venture to say it's easier to make them look older. Most of the studies/documentaries I've seen on aging point to wrinkles being the main thing that makes you look older, and I would imagine it's easier to add wrinkles than it is to get rid of them.How do actors make themselves look younger?
That's where de-aging technology enters the fore. In short, de-aging is a 3D effect technology used to make an actor look younger. To do so, post-production studios typically edit a digital image or apply computer-generated imagery (CGI) overlays or touch-ups to the necessary scenes.Why do older actors play younger roles?
There are many technical reasons producers choose to hire actors much older than the character they play. For one, most teenagers and minors under 18 can only work under a highly restricted number of hours due to labor laws. Their time on set has to revolve around their schooling, rest and meals.Top 10 Celebs Who Are WAY Younger Than You Realized
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