I remember the first time I saw Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer Scrooge, and I recall being both terrified and in awe. Now, as Ti West’s take on A Christmas Carol premieres on the 2026 movie schedule, I got to speak to Depp’s co-stars about his transformation and their own. Sam Claflin specifically told me why nothing prepared him for what he saw when the lead of Ebenezer showed up on set. Meanwhile, his co-stars who play the ghosts proved why their looks were just as remarkable.
Sam Claflin Couldn’t Get Over Johnny Depp’s Transformation
When it comes to Ebenezer, one of the primary talking points has been Johnny Depp’s transformation. He’s almost unrecognizable as the old Scrooge, and his performance in the movie is something to behold (whether you love it or not). When I asked Sam Claflin, who plays Fred in the film, about seeing his co-star in character for the first time, he made it clear it was intense, as he explained:
Terrifying. I had seen an image. I'd seen an early image. Ti had shown me an image of Johnny, like a makeup test. You know, with all the prosthetics on. It's sort of that, but it's also the physicality that he brought. The way that he'd shuffle in the voice and the funny little laugh, like he completely disappears within every role that he does, and this is no exception. Terrifying.
The Catching Fire actor went on to call the makeover “remarkable,” and he made it clear he’s “in awe” of actors who “completely transform themselves.” Explaining that point further, he said:
It's sort of remarkable, and honestly, I'm in awe. I'm in awe of actors like that, like the Christian Bales of the world, the people that just completely transform themselves, and are unafraid and unapologetic and just bold, bold with their choices. And it was terrifying the first time.
I also have to note that when I asked Claflin what it’s like to be the recipient of one of Johnny Depp’s bah humbugs, he made a similar point. He noted that when it happened, it shook him, and he couldn’t get the image of the actor out of his head:
I think seeing him in character still shakes me to my core. I mean, I can't get the image out of my head. But you know, he's just so funny, like with the character, but also obviously in between takes and stuff. Yeah, he just sort of brought so much levity to the film set, but to the experience and to the film itself. Yeah, it was a joy to be a part of anything that he's a part of.
Now, Depp’s Ebenezer is something. However, I do think it’s important to note that he was not the only actor in this film who went through a massive and jaw-dropping transformation.
Johnny Depp Wasn’t The Only Ebenezer Star With An Intense Transformation
Alongside Depp and Claflin, Ebenezer also features Tramell Tillman and Andrea Riseborough as the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Past, respectively. Like the man who plays the titular character, they’re both almost unrecognizable in their parts, and the process of looking like that was not for the faint of heart, as they told me:
- Andrea Riseborough: Yeah, so I had six and a half hours to get into my prosthetic, and I had two and a half hours to get out. So six and a half hours before the day starts, then you do the full day, and then two and a half hours at the end. So it kind of ends up being a really long day. And Tramell had not a lot less than me.
- Tramell Tillman: About five and a half to six hours, depending on the stage, because Present had different stages of decay. And then to get out was like an hour, and they moved so quick. It was like, ‘Get it off, let's go.’
In Riseborough’s case, she had to turn fully white, as she took on the Ghost of Christmas Past. She also wore white contacts, which she told me was one of the tougher parts of the transformation because it was hard to see through them. Tillman agreed, saying eyesight was the “biggest challenge” he faced in terms of his character's look. However, along with the contacts, he was covered in makeup and prosthetics that made him look like he was decaying.
They both looked incredible, and much like Claflin’s reaction to seeing Depp for the first time, I was both terrified and in awe of these ghosts.
Now, Ebenezer has not gotten the best reviews. However, there’s no denying the transformations the actors went through for it are remarkable. So, you can be the judge of whether you like this take on A Christmas Carol or not by catching Ebenezer in theaters now.
