These Marvel Superheroes and Villains Look a Lot Different on the Red Carpet

You’ve seen the Avengers save the universe over and over again. You’ve seen them take on Loki. You’ve seen them best Ultron. And as for what you’ve seen happen in Avengers: Endgame… well… we’ll hold off on the spoilers for the sake of the three people left in the world who haven’t seen this movie yet.

Now, it’s time to see exactly how all your favorite Marvel heroes and heroines look without their special effects makeup and body armor as they walk the Avengers World Premiere red and purple carpets.

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Some, such as Robert Downey Jr., look similar on and off the screen. As for Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon… well, not so much.

But no one gets a bigger makeover for the big screen than the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s big bad villains. It takes a lot of makeup and special effects to turn Josh Brolin into the mighty Thanos, to turn Cate Blanchett into Hela and to turn Ross Marquand into Red Skull.

And hey, even though Thor: Ragnarok‘s Grandmaster is so clearly… uhhhhh dadadadadada… Jeff Goldblum, we’re pretty sure Jeff doesn’t wake up and get out of bed every morning looking like this.

What does Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo look like when he is not all green and angry?

How about Guardians of the Galaxy actress Karen Gillan, who plays Nebula, without all her character’s crazy makeup?

There is no question that Paul Bettany’s Vision barely looks anything like the recognizable British actor. Same goes with Zoe Saldana’s Gamora. And don’t even get us started on James Spader as Ultron.

“The technology was such that I put on the suit and you do a range of motion,” Spader told E! News about how his performance as Ultron was captured. “They record the range of motion with all the markers on and all the transmitters and everything, and then they sort of plug it into some program. I would move and I could watch it live as Ultron. And that’s the first time I stood up a little straighter.”

But enough about the tech: It’s time to compare these off-duty Marvel superheroes and villains with their on-screen personas.

You will be shocked to see how different some of these celebrities look when they ditch the CGI and special effects makeup for their red carpet (and purple carpet) finest.

Which of these major transformations surprises you the most? Scroll through the photos below to see these A-list actors go from the big screen to Hollywood’s biggest events.

Thanos

He’s huge. He’s purple. He’s got a weird chin. And he doesn’t look anything like the actor who plays him.

Josh Brolin

The actor who plays the supervillain is unrecognizable when he’s not the subject of CGI.

Nebula

She’s the adopted daughter of intergalactic warlord Thanos, but what does the actress look like under all that makeup?

Karen Gillan

Another Marvel star who looks nothing like her character, the beautiful actress appears much happier than Nebula in real life.

Gamora

This Guardians of the Galaxy star is green and gorgeous on the big screen.

Zoe Saldana

The leading lady is barely recognizable when she hits the red carpet sans her Gamora getup.

Doctor Strange

Dr. Stephen Strange uses the mystic arts as a force for good.

Benedict Cumberbatch

There’s no Cloak of Levitation here. Or facial hair.

The Wasp

This size-changing hero made her debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and reprised her role in Avengers: Endgame.

Evangeline Lilly

Evangeline Lilly sported a very different ‘do at the Avengers: Endgame World Premiere, held at the LA Convention Center in Los Angeles.

Loki

Thor’s trickster brother will do anything on his quest for power.

Tom Hiddleston

The Avengers actor is all smiles when he’s not the brooding God of Mischief.

Red Skull

This Captain America nemesis made a surprise cameo in Avengers: Infinity War as the keeper of the Soul Stone.

Ross Marquand

Ross Marquand picked up the role of Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War, replacing Hugo Weaving (who played Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger).

Hela

The Asgardian goddess of death was the primary antagonist of Thor: Ragnarok.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett was decked out in yellow sequins at the October 2017 premiere of Thor: Ragnarok at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles.

Hulk

We still like him when he’s angry, but he definitely looks way different when he’s not all Hulked out…

Mark Ruffalo

The Thor: Ragnarok actor lets his salt-and-pepper beard grow in when he clocks out as Bruce Banner.

Vision

Vision, an android, was killed in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos pulled the Mind Stone out of his head.

Paul Bettany

British actor Paul Bettany got his start in the MCU as the voice of JARVIS in Iron Man. His first physical appearance was in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Black Widow

The Black Widow is recognizable for her often-red, sometimes blonde tresses and her skin-tight black suit.

Scarlett Johansson

When she’s not starring as Natasha Romanoff, aka the Black Widow, the Avengers actress ditches her superhero smoulder for a smile.

Scarlett Johansson shows off her new tattoo

Johansson showed off her stunning back tattoo, a branch of roses and a lamb, at the Avengers: Endgame premiere in Los Angeles. It’s possible the roses are a reference to her daughter, Rose Dorothy.

Erik Killmonger

In Black Panther, Killmonger — or N’Jadaka, as he was born — is covered with scarification dots to mark his confirmed kills.

Michael B. Jordan

Here’s Michael B. Jordan at the World Premiere of Black Panther in Hollywood on January 29, 2018.

Ultron

The big bad of Avengers: Age of Ultron is all metal, no flesh. But behind the adamantium, Ultron is…

James Spader

James Spader was not only the voice of Ultron, but also the actor behind the villain’s movements thanks to the motion-capture suit he wore during filming.

Captain America

Sure, he’s kind of a square, but we love watching Steve Rogers square off against Thanos.

Chris Evans

The handsome actor ditches his clean-shaven look when he’s out of his super suit and into his, well, normal suit.

Iron Man

Tony Stark is known for his sleek style and cool gadgets.

Robert Downey Jr.

The Iron Man actor’s real-life fashion isn’t that far off from his on-screen persona.

Black Panther

When he’s dressed as Black Panther, T’Challa’s vibranium micro-weave mesh suit keeps him safe in battle.

Chadwick Boseman

When he’s not rocking head-to-toe vibranium, the Black Panther lead opts for stylish patterns on the red carpet.

Thor

Whether he has his long locks or his shorter hair, you can always pick this Asgardian out of a crowd.

Chris Hemsworth

The Aussie actor swaps his red cape for a classic suit when attending an awards show.

Spider-Man

Peter Parker seems like an ordinary high school student—until his spidey sense sends him to fight crime, that is.

Tom Holland

The young actor looks dapper while walking (not swinging through) the red carpet.

Star-Lord

Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, is a hero in Guardians of the Galaxy, but his impulsive actions in Avengers: Infinity War put the universe in serious jeopardy.