Men in Black Star Celebrates 25th Anniversary by Praising Makeup Artist

Vincent D’Onofrio takes to Twitter to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Men in Black by praising Academy Award winning makeup artist Rick Baker.

Vincent D’Onofrio has celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the theatrical release of Men in Black by taking to Twitter to praise the film’s special effects makeup artist Rick Baker and director Barry Sonnenfeld. Released in 1997, the original Men in Black film was loosely based on Lowell Cunningham’s and Sandy Carruthers’ comic of the same name. The film starred Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agents J and K, two members of a clandestine government organization that monitors alien lifeforms on Earth. The film would later go on to spawn two direct sequels, a spin-off film Men in Black: International, and an animated series.

Throughout the film, D’Onofrio played Edgar, a farmer who is killed by an extra-terrestrial bug and has his skin worn as a disguise. The role was initially offered to The Evil Dead’s Bruce Campbell and The Batman’s John Turturro; however, both actors had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts. D’Onofrio’s makeup was designed by multiple Academy Award-winning special effects makeup artist Baker whose prior film credits included An American Werewolf in London and The Nutty Professor. The year following Men in Black’s release Baker was nominated and won the Academy Award for his work on the film, marking his fifth Oscar win.

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D’Onofrio took to Twitter to share a photo of himself as Edgar, saying he owed “a lot to Rick Baker for the incredible job he did” and for Sonnenfeld for his direction and trust 25 years ago. When one fan asked how long it took to have the makeup applied, D’Onofrio replied “some days 9 hours”. Check out his original Tweets below:

Click here to view the original Tweet

Click here to view the original Tweet

As for D’Onofrio today, fans are now counting down to see him return to the role of Wilson Fisk for the recently announced Daredevil series planned for Disney+. Late last month he sparked speculation that filming would possibly be getting underway in the near future by sharing an image of him working out. At 63 years of age, the actor is certainly in much better shape now than his deformed Men in Black character was 25 years ago.

Despite not being the first choice for the role, it would now be hard to envision anyone else playing Edgar and demanding “more sugar.” D’Onofrio’s performance as an extra-terrestrial bug in human skin was a delightfully creepy part of Men in Black and made all the more memorable due to the amazing special effects makeup applied to him for the part. Between D’Onofrio’s role and the other bizarre alien creatures who appeared in the first Men in Black film, it is easy to see why Baker’s work attracted the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and earned itself a much-deserved win.

Next: Men In Black/Jump Street Crossover Is Too Perfect To Waste (Can It Happen?)

Source: Vincent D’Onofrio

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