Margaret Qualley’s performance in 'La Sustancia' has earned her a Golden Globe nomination, but the journey to embody her character, Sue, came with unexpected challenges. In a recent episode of the podcast 'Happy Sad Confused,' Qualley revealed that the facial prosthetics used to depict her character's transformations caused severe skin damage.
Qualley shared that during filming, her skin was so affected that her face had to be shot from angles that concealed the damage. 'In the scene where my character joyfully walks through Los Angeles, it was filmed from below because my face was too ruined to show,' she explained.
The actress, who also stars in 'Tipos de gentileza,' noted that the acne caused by the prosthetics lingered long after production wrapped. 'The acne you see in the film was real; it was a result of the prosthetics,' she said, adding that it took her a year to recover.
In addition to the facial transformations, Qualley used prosthetic breasts to achieve an 80s bombshell look, as envisioned by director Coralie Fargeat. Co-star Demi Moore also underwent a significant transformation with exaggerated aging makeup. Both actresses praised the work of special effects makeup artist Pierre Olivier Persin for their dramatic looks.
This candid insight into the physical demands of their roles highlights the lengths actors go to bring their characters to life.