Claire Foy is English, yes, but she is no royal. That is until you see her in “The Crown” where she impeccably portrays the young Queen Elizabeth II around the time that she was crowned. Royals don’t speak with just a regular posh accent, it’s on a whole other level, just watch those speeches.
Better yet, just watch Foy as she disappears into the role in the brilliant Netflix series. The modest clothing and sensible hairdo also make her look older than she really is. When the actress is out of her Elizabeth costume, she looks totally different. Other actresses played the Queen in following seasons – but Foy nailed it.
Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore)
Mandy Moore was a pop teen sensation during the early 2000s, but ever since that, somehow, she has maintained that sweet "girl next door" look. So it was really surprising when we saw her age a couple of decades in the beloved series "This Is Us." The transformation is pretty amazing, and she convinced all of us that she had aged by 30-40 years.
In parts of the show, Moore is playing her character, Rebecca Pearson, years in the future. It's hard to believe that that is not an older woman, but the same Mandy Moore with heaps of makeup and typical "older lady" clothes. Generally speaking, Moore is amazing on that show.
Dee Dee Blanchard (Patricia Arquette)
The wildly talented Patricia Arquette has been moving us on TV screens and in theaters since the 80s, taking on different roles, time, and time again transforming into amazing and complex characters. She did it once again with her character Dee Dee Blanchard in the Hulu series called "The Act."
Her signature blonde hair was nowhere to be seen and she was barely recognizable in the pasty drab cardigans and sweaters. The role earned her an Emmy Award, which is definitely justified. It is no surprise that Patricia is such a diverse actress. After all, she comes from a family full of talented performers - including David and Rosanna.
Dorota (Zuzanna Szadkowski)
"Gossip Girl" was everyone's favorite guilty pleasure. The show that followed Manhattan's Upper East Side elite revealed the juicy stories of utterly privileged teens and college students. Though some weren't so privileged, like Dorota. The maid and confidant of Blair Waldorf was a special character.
While very prim and proper on the show, the actress Zuzanna Szadkowski is far more stylish in real life and looks like she might even perfectly blend in with the gang while they tear up the streets of Manhattan. In 2021, Szadkowski actually reprised the role of Dorota in the standalone sequel show of "Gossip Girl," making a surprise cameo in an episode.
Janine Ofwarren (Madeline Brewer)
"The Handmaid's Tale" is not an easy show to watch and the trials the characters go through are extremely troubling. The women who wear the red robes and white hoods are stripped of everything and are barely recognizable. That goes for Madeline Brewer, especially, who plays Janine Ofwarren.
Throughout the show, the actress is missing an eye and is deeply disturbed by the events of the story (no spoilers!). The actress of course (thankfully) very much has both eyes and looks like a completely different person when she's not playing Ofwarren. She also had a minor role in "Orange is the New Black."