Richard Martin, a prosthetics designer, understood that the initial unveiling of Eddie Redmayne in full makeup for the film “The Day of the Jackal” would be a critical turning point.
He clarifies, “It was meant to be a surprise – no one was supposed to realize that ‘Eddie’ in the prosthetics was actually the janitor, until he started removing them. But before the show even premiered, magazines spoiled it; yet, if you ignore all the background and simply watch this, it appears as an elderly man perpetrating a terrible crime.”
Or more concisely:
He explains, “The twist was that we didn’t want anyone to know ‘Eddie’ in the prosthetics was actually the janitor until he took them off. But spoilers leaked before the show came out. If you watch without knowing the premise, it looks like an elderly man committing a crime.
Martin found inspiration from the tranquil diner scene and opening credits of Quentin Tarantino’s famous 1994 movie, “Pulp Fiction” – a brief peaceful interlude before chaos breaks out.
In this instance, you’re observing an individual who appears identical to our janitor, and surprisingly, the event unfolds. He removes his mask, revealing it’s none other than the Jackal. This moment recalls the beginning of ‘Pulp Fiction’, where the music cues, followed by a sudden shock – ‘bang!’ – and we’re off to the races. The prosthetist confesses that executing this was quite nerve-wracking.
The modernized retelling of “The Day of the Jackal,” as envisioned by Peacock, is inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s novel and the 1973 film. In this 10-episode adaptation, Redmayne portrays Alex Duggan – the main character who is being chased by MI6 agent Bianca Pullman, played by Lashana Lynch.
Martin, renowned for his contributions to “The White Lotus” season three and “The Substance”, is dedicated to achieving “complete authenticity”. He skillfully employs materials that resemble human skin, ensuring his craftsmanship blends seamlessly with the real thing, making it indistinguishable where his work starts or ends.
The British person reflects, ‘If an individual wearing prosthetics isn’t noticeable, then I haven’t done my job right.’ While filming in Vienna, we prepared Eddie by applying his prosthetics at a hotel nearby, after which he walked through the bustling streets to the set. It was around 5 o’clock in the evening, so there were many people about, yet he effortlessly moved along with Alexandra Reynolds, his movement coach, in his complete prosthetics, engaged in conversation.
Martin stepped several paces behind, approximately 20 feet, to observe people’s responses and check if anyone identified Redmayne, but as he remembers with a laugh, no one seemed to notice. Still, the extensive use of prosthetics along with the shooting circumstances posed some awkward difficulties.
Martin commented, “Eddie’s ears were the only parts of him not concealed by prosthetics, as he sported a bald cap, a full forehead, cheeks, neck, even a hump on his back, along with a nose, lips, and earlobes. He also wore a wig. During our summer filming in Budapest, temperatures surpassed 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The studio was not air-conditioned at all, making it unbearably hot. Underneath his costume, Eddie donned a thick foam rubber body suit.
During breaks, Redmayne often sat near an air conditioning unit inside his tent. However, since Martin’s silicone material is waterproof, the sweat had nowhere to go. “We discovered that blisters would form beneath the prosthetics on the thinner parts, especially the bridge of the nose,” he regretted. “I used very sharp needle-nose tweezers to puncture them, open them slightly, drain them, then close them again; otherwise, it appeared as if he had an outbreak of hives. At the end of each day, when we removed everything, there was a puddle of sweat at his clavicle. It wasn’t pleasant.
Originally published in a special May edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, you can get a subscription to read more stories like this one by clicking here.
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2025-05-29 22:24