Doug Jones
Doug Jones
Doug Jonesis an American actor and former contortionist known for roles in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres, often wearing heavy makeup to play nonhuman characters. He has appeared in films such as Hocus Pocus. He also appeared as Abe Sapien in the supernatural superhero film Hellboy and its sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army, He played the villain the Pale Man and the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth, and portrayed the titular Silver Surfer in the superhero movie Fantastic...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth24 May 1960
CityIndianapolis, IN
CountryUnited States of America
I have such freedom when I'm living through a mask, and by contrast, can feel very exposed when a camera is capturing my real face. Kind of like the difference between walking out your front door in a sweater and jeans or in a Speedo.
When I came out to Hollywood in 1985, I thought that I would be sitcom star. I'm a tall, skinny, goofy guy. I thought that I would make a great funny neighbor, or wacky office mate, in a sitcom.
I'm surprised how many commercials and sitcoms and movies have a need for, 'We just need something to come by the camera that's really weird.' They call Doug Jones.
I am kind of a freak of nature who has loose joints, and I was able to put my legs behind my head, and it looked weird to people when I was a kid, so I kept doing it. It's a great party gag.
To me I don't deal with stress well at all, and it is stressful enough for me to deal with my own one character. So if I had to deal with all the characters and the special effects, and the editing and make the writing tweaks and do everything the director does, that would drive me to an early grave, and I just can't do it.
That's kind of how my jobs have happened over the years. It's been referrals throughout the creature effects/make-up world. The drawings happen, and they see that it's a tall, skinny thing, and they go, 'Let's get Doug Jones for that.'
Whether it's t-shirt and jeans or full monster suit, I'm still an actor underneath it all, and a good director is going to know that.
My very favorite costumed character I've played would be Abe Sapien from the 'Hell Boy' movies. I love this guy.
My favorite thing to pass the time in the makeup chair is YouTube videos of talking cats. I don't know why, but they make me laugh.
The gaming world is a complete mystery to me! Well, I did play Pac Man and Frogger using big machines at an arcade back in the '80s.
When you're on camera, even though you try to lose yourself in the character, you are aware that there is a camera there capturing every moment of it visually. With doing a voiceover job, you are worried about the sound of it, and you have to make all those visual colors come out with your sound.
That's what I love about geeks, that they can call themselves a geek and be proud of it. I love that. I even have a necklace with the word 'geek' spelled out in rhinestones, and I'm very proud, myself.
People who know your work and know your personality, they know your strengths and weaknesses. A director like Guillermo del Toro, he knows more about me than I do. I trust him when he tells me what part I'm going to be playing in something, because he's envisioned that that can only be done by me. He knows it.
I can put my legs behind my head, but that's pretty much it. An early agent said to me, 'If you can put your legs behind your head, let's say you're a contortionist!' So I got sent out for everything twisty and bendy. It's a good conversation starter.