Nosferatustar Willem Dafoe is reflecting on his own Count Orlok performance from the 2000 movieShadow of the Vampire. The upcoming remake, directed by Robert Eggers, who collaborated with Dafoe onThe LighthouseandThe Northman, depicts a nightmarish encounter with the eponymous vampire. In the film, Dafoe portrays Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, a source of authority regarding Count Orlok. However,theNosferatustarfamously played a version of this mysterious Transylvanian monsterin E. Elias Merhige’s Oscar-nominatedShadow of the Vampire, an imaginary tale of Max Schreck (Dafoe) during the originalNosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.
Speaking withEntertainment Weekly, ahead of theNosferatupremiere,Dafoe looked back on his Count Orlok portrayal. He expressed a fondness forShadow of the Vampireand explained how makeup can impact a performance by allowing an actor to see themselves in character. Read some of his comments below:
That was a wonderful experience. One of the biggest takeaways was how beautiful it is to have extreme makeup. I had very heavy makeup; I was unrecognizable. You see yourself recede and the character come forward. You don’t look like yourself. You don’t feel like yourself. You can’t move like yourself. It becomes a beautiful trigger for your imagination and an invitation to explore other behavior.
Dafoe also reflected on the positive reception towardsShadow of the Vampireandnoted that his Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor was “a special pride,”considering the film was made without a major company.
It was a very tiny film. It’s a special pride when you get nominated for a tiny film because, obviously, it’s not like you had the muscle or the enormous publicity budget to convince people [to vote].
He then complimented the acting and technical achievements ofNosferatu,which includes another impressive Orlok transformation,this time by Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgård, and pondered how much recognition it will get. Read more of Dafoe’s comments below:
It’s an incredibly powerful film. There’s some great performances and beautiful displays of various craft aspects. So, it’ll be interesting to see if that commonly held thought that horror is ignored in award season [holds up].
How Count Orlok In Shadow Of The Vampire Compares To Nosferatu
The Transformations Are Equally Impressive
Dafoe’s appearance as Count Orlok closely resembles the version fromNosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. Through a completely fabricated behind-the-scenes story,Shadow of the Vampirepresented a pale, almost bald Schreck,the German actor who originated Orlok on-screen.Dafoe’s physical transformation, which included darkened eyes, pointy ears, and long fingers/fingernails, is impressive, in part, because of how faithful it was, complete with spot-on mannerisms.
Nosferatu Can Help Willem Dafoe Reach A New Box Office Milestone After 100+ Movies
Willem Dafoe is taking on a role in the 2024 version of Nosferatu, which will push him further towards a massive new box office milestone.
There have been very brief sightings of Bill Skarsgård as Orlok in theupcomingNosferaturemake, but ahead ofits Christmas-day release, audiences and fellow cast members are praising his transformation. His ability to fully embody a character should come as no surprise though, given his previous role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown inItand the 2019 sequel. From what has been revealed, it seems thatSkarsgård donned a significant amount of prosthetic makeup, aging him up and giving him Orlok’s distinct vampire features.
Shadow of the Vampireearned Dafoe his second Oscar nomination, after 1987’sPlatoon. He has since earned two more nominations, forThe Florida ProjectandAt Eternity’s Gate.
Our Take On Dafoe’s Count Orlok Performance
It’s A Memorable Role That Has Earned Its Long-Lasting Praise
Shadow of the Vampirefurther represents how famous Count Orlok became following the originalNosferatu. Not only was Dafoe recognized by the Academy Awards, and deservedly so, but the film earned a Best Makeup nomination that year. Joining Eggers’ remake, where he might have experienced another level of prosthetic enhancement, can almost be seen as a full circle moment then. While Skarsgård’s portrayal of Orlok may be scarier, both performances are part of an overall legacy, and Dafoe’s role remains worthy of praise.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
Shadow of the Vampire
Shadow Of The Vampire is a horror comedy film that reimagines the making of the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu. The film stars John Malkovich as F.W. Murnau, the director of Nosferatu, and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, the actor playing the vampire Count Orlok. The story takes a fictionalized approach to the filming of Nosferatu, suggesting that Schreck was actually a real vampire.
