Summary
Tim Burton’sPlanet of the Apesfeatures a large cast of notable actors and actresses, many covered in ape costuming and makeup, and Paul Giamatti had a lot to say about that. The 2001Planet of the Apesis the sixth film in thePlanet of the Apesmovie franchiseand the first remake of the series. Unlike the previousApesmovies, Tim Burton’s is not as interested in a grand political or societal statement, andthe remakeinstead operates as a B-movie with some incredibly designed sets and impressive ape animatronics and makeup. In that regard, it’s quite successful.
The film stars Mark Wahlberg in the Charlton Heston role from the first film, while the apes are played by some celebrated actors, like Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Paul Giamatti. In 2001, Giamatti had already been acting prolifically for years, buthe had yet to reach major levels of stardom. His role inPlanet of the Apeswas right beforeevery Paul Giamatti moviebecame a must-see film, but the actor was still making demands when it came to his role.
Planet Of The Apes: All Movie Timelines Explained
A complete guide to every timeline introduced in the Planet of the Apes franchise, from the original timeline to the prequels' timeline.
Paul Giamatti’s Agents Wanted Him To Play A Human Character In Planet Of The Apes
Giamatti Has Always Loved The Planet Of The Apes Franchise
Limbo (Giamatti) inPlanet of the Apesis a Bornean Orangutan who starts off as an antagonist, a shrewd human slave traderwho treats Leo (Wahlberg) and his other captives as little more than cattle. After the humans escape and take an imprisoned Limbo with them to ensure his silence, Limbo softens, understanding what it means to be enslaved. It’s a role that Giamatti had dreamed about, and didn’t mind Tim Burton’s comment about his looks, as long as he could take part. As he toldGQ,
“I was obsessed with the ‘Planet of the Apes’ movies as a kid. And so the notion that I could be in one of those was mind-blowing to me. I didn’t audition for that. Tim Burton came to me with that, ‘cause I guess he was like, ‘You look like a monkey, so I’ll have you do this.’ It was one of the funnest things I’ve ever done. And working with Rick Baker was amazing.”
When they read the script, his agents realized Giamatti was being asked to play an ape and so would be completely unrecognizable in makeup. They came to Giamatti asking if he wouldn’t rather play a human,
“I was covered head to toe, shoulders in a fat suit, and my feet. My agents were like, ‘Don’t you think you should play a human so they can see your face?’ And I was like, ‘If you tell them I wanna play a human in this, I’ll f***ing kill you all.’ I was like, ‘I’m gonna play an ape.'”
Giamatti allowed himself to be dyed blue forBig Fat Liar, so he’s clearly an actor who does not mind being outrageous on camera. Of course, he would rather be an ape in his beloved film franchise than a plain old human that he could play in any movie. It’s good he did, because Limbo is a fantastic character, andGiamatti knows how to portray him as an unprincipled character who can still begrudgingly do the right thingwhen faced with a moral quandary. He’s funny, dangerous, and fleshes out the apes’ society as more than just black and white.
Giamatti Was In Awe Of The Planet Of The Apes Makeup Team
Paul Giamatti Has Frequently Worn Extensive Makeup For His Performances
Every ape actor inPlanet of the Apeswas covered head to foot in a considerable amount of prosthetics. Giamatti was fortunate and had a skilled makeup artist who was able to complete his transition quickly,
“I had very fast makeup artist named Bill Corso. He’s one of the best special effects makeup guys in the world. And he was very fast, I had the most elaborate one, and he did his about two and a half hours. Most people were about four hours in the chair.”
That makeup process can be grueling, so having it done in less than three hours would be a considerable relief. Anytime an actor is covered, whether in prosthetics or CGI, a performance can suffer. Sometimes it’s too hard to move, and subtle expressions can get lost. But Giamatti felt hisPlanet of theApesmakeup enhanced his performance,
“I had these crazy giant teeth. I asked them to give me some teeth to practice with, because I wanted to be able to talk. A lot of people ADR-ed it later cause you couldn’t f***ing understand anybody because of these giant teeth. But I really want to learn how to talk with the teeth in. And it gave me a funny way of talking. [The makeup] gives you everything. I didn’t want to take it off. I wanted to stay in at all the time. I loved it.”
It’s very noticeable when comparing a scene with other apes and Limbo that Giamatti is speaking his lines in the scene while the others are recorded later.
Giamatti has frequently transformed his appearance for his roles, perhaps not to the extent of what he does inPlanet of the Apes, but there have still been dramatic decisions. InBig Fat Liar, he’s blue with orange hair, and inFred Claus, he has Santa’s large belly, a white beard, and a red suit. He’s also had subtler makeup choices, like his lazy eye inThe Holdoversas Paul Hunham and tattoos inThe Amazing Spider-Man 2as Rhino. But doesn’t matter what the character looks like — Paul Giamatti will make them memorable.
Planet of the Apes
Cast
In 2029, Leo Davidson ventures through a space-time storm to rescue his chimp friend, landing on Ashlar, a world ruled by talking apes. With newfound allies, he uncovers his spacecraft’s fate and sparks a revolt against ape tyranny. Saved by his chimp companion, Leo returns to Earth, but discovers a deeply disturbing reality.
