10 Actors Who Took On Roles in Fat Suits (2 of 6)

Eddie Murphy — The Nutty Professor

Is it even an Eddie Murphy movie if he isn’t playing half the cast? In The Nutty Professor, he basically holds a family reunion with himself, and many of those characters are pretty big thanks to jaw-dropping prosthetics and full suits. It’s part technical flex, part slapstick tornado. The gags are quite outdated, and the movie would probably get cancelled if they made it today, but as a showcase for performance plus makeup wizardry, it’s wild.

John Travolta — Hairspray

Hairspray is practically a glitter-bomb of body positivity, and Travolta’s turn as Edna Turnblad leans into love, warmth, and camp instead of crappy jokes and cheap shots. The suit, wig, and skirts all work together so Edna feels like a real person. The makeover sequence is oh so glorious, and the vibe is immaculate. This fat suit is convincing enough that you focus on Edna, not John Travolta trapped inside of her.