See how Samuel L. Jackson was aged for ‘Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’
What you need to know
- “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” is now streaming on Apple TV+.
- The series stars Samuel L. Jackson as Ptolemy Grey.
- Apple has taken us behind the scenes to see how the actor was aged (and de-aged) with hair and makeup.
Samuel L. Jackson went full Benjamin Button Apple TV+.
“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” is streaming now on Apple TV+.
Samuel L. Jackson, who stars in the new series, was both aged and de-aged throughout each episode using both hair and makeup. Hair Stylist Camille Friend and Makeup Artist Jake Garber shared how they pulled off both aging changes throughout the series.
Aging and de-aging @SamuelLJackson in The Last Days of #PtolemyGrey, with Hair Stylist @blackeyevenus and Makeup Artist @jagar65.
“We call it ‘the dance’… Sam’s in one chair, and we dance around him.” – Camille Friend, Hair Stylist ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/F9FpG7KgSc
— Apple TV+ (@AppleTVPlus) April 6, 2022
Garber said that they were able to use the natural flow of Jackson’s face for the scenes where he appeared older than he is today.
“We had essentially three looks when he was older. One of them, he’s bearded, hair’s disheveled, all that. The second look was the post-medicated look ….And then the final look that we had was when the medication has worn off…There was a side to the face that went down to the jowls and went up to kind of under his eye. And then there was an eye bag crow’s feet section that was on both sides..”
Friend said that there was some nostalgia when creating his look for when he was younger.
“I’m a child of the 70s. So I was like you got your Jim Brown on.”
The six-episode series tells the story of a man who, after temporarily regaining his memory, attempts to solve the death of his nephew.
Hailing from Apple Studios, “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” stars Jackson as Ptolemy Grey, an ailing man forgotten by his family, by his friends, and by even himself. Suddenly left without his trusted caretaker and on the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, Ptolemy is assigned to the care of orphaned teenager Robyn, played by BAFTA Award nominee Dominique Fishback (“Judas and the Black Messiah”). When they learn about a treatment that can temporarily restore Ptolemy’s dementia-addled memories, it begins a journey toward shocking truths about the past, present and future. In addition to Jackson and Fishback, the Apple Original series features Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (“Coyote,” “Real Husbands of Hollywood”), Damon Gupton (“Black Lightning,” “Bates Motel”), Marsha Stephanie Blake (“I Am Your Woman,” “When They See Us”), Walton Goggins (“Justified,” “The Unicorn”) and Omar Miller (“The Unicorn,” “Ballers”).
Alongside Mosley and Jackson, “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” is executive produced by Mosley’s producing partner Diane Houslin, Ramin Bahrani, Eli Selden and David Levine for Anonymous Content, and LaTanya Richardson.
If you haven’t seen the official trailer for the new season, check it out below:
“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” is now streaming on Apple TV+. It adds to the growing list of shows and movies on Apple’s streaming service. If you want to enjoy the series in the best quality possible, check out our list of the Best TVs for Apple TV 2022.
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