De-aging technology is one of the latest developments in film—and one of the spookiest. If a character needs to be shown at different points in their life, the actor playing them can be digitally altered to look young again. You might have seen it with Robert De Niro in The Irishman and with Will Smith in Gemini Man. But, for George Clooney's new movie, The Midnight Sky, the actor and director decided to go the old-fashioned route and hire someone to play the young version of his character. And the 59-year-old star had a pretty straightforward way of making his decision. Read on to see who it is, and for more actual young Clooney, You Have to See This Incredible, Totally '80s George Clooney Photoshoot.
Clooney stars in and directs the upcoming Netflix movie, based on the novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton. It follows a scientist (Clooney) who survives a global catastrophe and must reach an astronaut (Felicity Jones) to let her know what has happened. In the narrative, the movie flashes back to a young version of Clooney's character.
As Clooney explained in a new interview with Deadline, he talked to Netflix about using de-aging technology for The Midnight Sky, but decided against using it because he thought it would "become a topic then that people will talk about." The Irishman hadn't be released yet when he made this decision. "I didn’t know how people would react to it at the time," he said.
So, Clooney decided to cast Ethan Peck as his younger self. The 34-year-old actor is the grandson of film legend Gregory Peck, and is currently best known for playing a younger version of Spock on CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery.
Netflix and Markus Wissmann / Shutterstock
"It’s tricky because people know basically what I looked like when I was 35 years old," Clooney explained. "But Ethan... we both have good eyebrows. So he’s better looking than me and if I’m going to cast somebody why not f****** cast somebody who’s better looking than me."
Clooney went on to explain that technology was used in The Midnight Sky to make Peck's voice sound more like his. "I said to him, 'Look, my voice is pretty recognizable. So we’re going to have to work together, you and I, and we’re going to work with… sound,'" Clooney recalled. "'We’re going to work with everybody on blending your voice with mine.' It’s a hybrid."
Of course, there have been countless actors who have shared their role with younger stars on screen, no special technology needed. Here are some more perfectly cast younger versions of your favorite A-listers. And for more on Clooney today, check out George Clooney Says He Doesn't Really Want to Act Anymore.
Read the original article on Best Life.
1 | Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, & Vanessa Redgrave in Atonement
Focus FeaturesIn 2007's Atonement, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave all play Briony Tallis at different points of her life. Thanks to the blonde bob and bright blue eyes, all of them look reasonably like they could be the same person at various life stages. And for more performances worth remembering, revisit these Great Oscar-Winning Performances That Still Hold Up.
2 | Mila Kunis & Angelina Jolie in Gia
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com, Everett Collection / Shutterstock.comRight before she became famous for starring on That '70s Show, Mila Kunis played a younger version of Angelina Jolie's character in the HBO movie Gia, about supermodel Gia Carangi. Their piercing light colored eyes connected the character from childhood to adulthood. And for more on Kunis' start, check out The Biggest '00s TV Teen Idols, Then and Now.
3 | Christa B. Allen & Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30
Sony Pictures ReleasingConsidering 13 Going on 30 is all about a teenager who suddenly becomes an adult, it was important that 13-year-old Jenna Rink look a lot like 30-year-0ld Jenna Rink—and that was achieved with the casting of Christa B. Allen and Jennifer Garner. In fact, the two look so much alike, Allen recently dressed up as adult Jenna for Halloween, and totally nailed it. And for celebrity offspring who bear a striking resemblance to their famous parents, check out Kate Hudson's Lookalike Son Doing a Hilarious Impersonation of Her.
4 | Hero Fiennes Tiffin & Ralph Fiennes in the Harry Potter Franchise
Warner Bros. PicturesSeveral actors played Tom Riddle/Voldemort throughout the eight Harry Potter movies, and all of the casting was pretty impressive. In particular, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Ralph Fiennes stand out, because Tiffin is Fiennes' nephew. Sure, the little kid doesn't look like snake-faced old Voldemort, but it was a cool connection and way to show how Tom Riddle used to look. For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
5 | Rachel Hilson & Susan Kelechi Watson on This Is Us
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com, Michael Mattes / Shutterstock.comThis Is Us involves a ton of actors being cast as younger versions of the main characters—but one of the best casting choices is Rachel Hilson, who plays teenage Beth. Not only does she look a lot like her adult counterpart, Susan Kelechi Watson, but she really picked up on her mannerisms, too. And for more beloved stars in their early days, check out The Biggest Child Actors Ever, Then and Now.
