Count Orlok is shrouded in shadow for much of Nosferatu, so when his true face is revealed, it is intended to shock the audience.
Nosferatu is loosely based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, which in turn inspired the pivotal 1920s German expressionist film, Nosferatu: Symphony of the Night.
Robert Eggers' horror film stars Bill Skarsgård as the ancient vampire who stalks a newlywed couple, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), through Europe in the 1800s.
Here's Nosferatu's True Face Up Close
Much of the horror in Nosferatu is built by the presence of the ancient vampire who lurks in the shadows. When Count Orlok's true face is revealed, it is one of the most horrifying moments in the film and it was intentionally kept out of the marketing and trailers for Nosferatu for this reason.
Now that Nosferatu has been released on digital platforms, some behind-the-scenes images of Skarsgård in his unrecognizable Count Orlok form have finally been released.
Count Orlok's face has haunted Transylvania and its surroundings for centuries, so the reveal of the villain had to be worth it when it came time in the horror film.
Count Orlok is brought to life with incredible effect by the makeup team and Skarsgård's performance. The vampire's appearance is defined by his sunken eyes, pale and sallow skin (some rotting away), balding comb-over, and thick mustache.
Another defining feature of Orlok is his claw-like fingers, which is a distinctive trait carried over from the 1922 Nosferatu.
Skarsgård is unrecognizable as Orlok, marking another transformative horror role that disguises the actor's face, similar to his time as Pennywise in IT.
Another piece of marketing that has been gaining some attention is a life-sized cardboard standee of Nosferatu's Count Orlok, which viewers can purchase from the NBC store, and shows the character's horrifying design in all its glory.
How Bill Skarsgård Transformed Into Count Orlok
The in-depth process to transform Skarsgård into Count Orlok is no doubt one worth recognizing.
According to an interview the actor gave with Esquire, it took between three and six hours of makeup and prosthetics every day to become the supernatural villain. Skarsgård added that the results make Orlok "gross" but also "very sexualized:"
"He’s gross. But it is very sexualized. It’s playing with a sexual fetish about the power of the monster and what that appeal has to you. Hopefully, you’ll get a little bit attracted by it and disgusted by your attraction at the same time."
Nosferatu's prosthetic makeup effects designer, David White, revealed to Variety that it took almost a year to nail down Count Orlok's design, which was inspired by a "rediscovered body of a 5,300-year-old iceman:"
"I shared with Robert versions of bodies in varying states of decay and wither. He really wanted the feeling of Orlok having had all life sucked from him, every last drop of blood. We took our final inspiration from a reference photo of a rediscovered body of a 5,300-year-old iceman found in the Alps."
White revealed that Orlok's design involved nine prosthetics for his head, top and bottom hand prosthetics, eight finger extensions, and 62 prosthetic pieces when it came to his full-body look.
The work paid off as the design of Count Orlok helped to earn Nosferatu two Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hair Styling.
Nosferatu is currently playing in theatres and is available to buy or rent on digital platforms.
