Ever wondered who was under the makeup of Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus? Or The Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water?
Actor Doug Jones, 62, has starred in over 25 Hollywood movies - but it is unlikely that some of you would ever recognize him if he passed you in the street. That's because he's one of the top actors in a small niche of performing in heavy make-up, prosthetics, and costumes.
But while you may not recognize his real face, you'll certainly recognize some of the characters he has played over the years.
Some of Jones's most notable performances come from his collaborations with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.
Del Toro, a specialist in the horror and fantasy genre, originally cast Jones in Mimic in 1997.
Speaking about his relationship with del Toro, Jones tells Beliefnet.com: “I didn’t know it at the time but that would be the biggest relational break of my career.”
Recognizing his potential, Jones and del Toro teamed up again when he played Abe Sapien in del Toro’s adaptions of the comic book series Hellboy (2004), although his voice was dubbed by David Hyde Pierce.
For Jones, this was a small knockback, as he admitted: “I’m an actor who doesn’t want to see part of his performance being taken away from him.”
But when Jones reprised his role in Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), he got to voice the part as well.
Speaking about the role, Jones said: "This is just like an evolution that happens in any actor's career: with time and with reputation, comes trust."
Working with del Toro again, Jones was cast twice in one movie as The Faun and The Pale Man in the Spanish- language fantasy Pan’s Labyrinth (2006).
The movie was a success, winning three Academy Awards in 2007, including Best Achievement in Makeup, which is best recognized in Jones’ character The Faun.
It is safe to say Jones is used to sitting in the makeup chair for long periods of time. His makeup for the role of Abe Sapien often took six hours to create and five hours to get him into The Pale Man costume.
Jones and del Toro’s most recent collaboration was the Best Picture Oscar winner, The Shape of Water (2017), where Jones played lead romantic role of The Amphibian Man, an aquatic creature that falls in love with a lonely janitor.
Jones has also performed without prosthetics in some performances including Adaptation (2002) and Mystery Men (1999).
But, the actor admitted to the Express that he felt “a bit more exposed” when using his actual face.
"Another best part is being able to play memorable characters in huge projects without being easily recognized in public or causing a mob scene when I go out to a coffee shop," he told the publication.
Earlier this year, Jones reprised his role as Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus, coming full circle from the beginning of his career.
Except this time around, audiences may actually know who the actor is behind the “most datable zombie in movie history", thanks to the increase in recognition Jones is receiving for his incredible career.