- Paul Giamatti aged from 30 to 60 for “Barney’s Version”
Adrien Morot Created the Makeup for Barney’s Version and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his efforts. The film, directed by Richard J. Lewis is based on the popular novel by the late Mordecai Richler. and stars Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti.
The story spans a 35-year period in the life of Barney Panofsky, a Montreal TV producer reflecting back on the events of his life.
Makeup involved the significant challenge of gradually altering their appearance as they age in a way that is convincing for the audience but that remains subtle enough not to be distracting.
Morot and his team used a combination of prosthetics, subtle makeup, hairstyling and artificial facial hair.
Paul Giamatti in "Barney's Version"
Much of the effort was focused on Paul Giamatti, whose character starts out in his early 30s and reaches his late 60s by the end of the story. Others included Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, who plays Barney’s father and Rosemund Pike, who plays Miriam, Barney’s third wife.
Dustin Hoffman's character ages in "Barney's Version"
“Adrien started by asking me what I thought Barney should look like and how I thought he should age,” said Giamatti. “He had a wonderful distinct makeup at the get-go, but he was amazingly collaborative, and intensely sensitive to what would help me act the part. And he was so fluid with his own design, shaping it, changing it, constantly refining it.”
Giamatti is wearing makeup with various prosthetics throughout much of the film. “The alcohol bloat and weight gain were so convincing, people thought I had gained weight for the part,” said Giamatti.
Watch the trailer on YouTube here:
Would you wear a beard made out of Yak hair? More in Part Two.