How a modern Beauty and the Beast retelling transformed its lead into a tattoo-covered outcast
In short: In the 2011 film Beastly, an arrogant teenager is cursed by a witch, becoming a scarred, tattooed shell of his former self. To break the spell, he must find love before spring. The production faced unique challenges, including a massive makeup process and strategic release delays to avoid box-office competition.
Directed by Daniel Barnz, Beastly reimagines the classic fairytale in modern-day New York City. The story follows Kyle Kingson, a vain student who is transformed into a bald, scarred, and heavily tattooed outcast after bullying a witch. Unlike traditional versions of the tale, the film focuses on the beast's perspective, aiming to explore themes of inner beauty within a contemporary teenage setting.
The physical transformation of actor Alex Pettyfer was a monumental task for the production team. The makeup design, created by Tony Gardner and Alterian, Inc., consisted of 67 individual pieces. Applying the full-body makeup required six hours of work, while facial prosthetics and tattoos alone took nearly three hours. Pettyfer noted that shaving his head for the role helped him mentally inhabit the character's isolated state, providing a resource to draw upon while filming.
The film's path to theaters was complicated by external factors. Initially intended for a 2008 release, the WGA strike forced a delay. Later, CBS Films shifted the premiere date multiple times to avoid clashing with other projects featuring lead actress Vanessa Hudgens, such as Charlie St. Cloud. When it finally arrived in March 2011, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews. Critics often pointed to the beast's appearance as a point of contention, arguing that the character did not look sufficiently ugly, which some felt undermined the film's central moral message.
Despite the critical reception, the film achieved a worldwide gross of $43.2 million against a $17 million budget. It remains a notable entry in the career of Mary-Kate Olsen, marking her final film role. While an alternate ending—more closely aligned with the original fairytale and Alex Flinn’s 2007 novel—was filmed, it was ultimately excluded from the official release.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Beastly (film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-beastly-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
