Renée Zellweger is proof that even the craziest makeovers take time.
When the trailer for NBC's limited series The Thing About Pam was released, fans were stunned by the two-time Academy Award winner's transformation into convicted murderer Pam Hupp. In an interview with E! News' Daily Pop on the series' red carpet, Zellweger discussed the arduous process of putting the whole look together.
"We started at about four [hours] and we whittled it down to around two," she said. "They have a mind of their own, you know? If everybody cooperates —the cheeks are feeling like playing nice, the nose, and everything. But yeah, it took about a couple of hours."
For the role, Zellweger donned a body suit, prosthetics and a classic bob wig to embody Hupp, whose case and profile rose to prominence with a Dateline episode a corresponding podcast also called The Thing About Pam.
The experience was a fascinating one for Zellweger, who called her transformation "thrilling."
"I had never done that before," she explained. "It was kinda fun to learn about it. I didn't know that trying to tell a story and act with the prosthetics on is a whole different thing. I didn't know it was a skill that I didn't have!"
We're guessing the A-lister has forgotten about her incredible transformations for the Bridget Jones movies and Judy.
In addition to presenting a new acting challenge, the Judy star used it as an excuse to knock things off her to-do list, as well.
"It was really useful for getting your Christmas shopping done on time," she joked. "You can call your mom. You get a lot done in that chair!"
Zellweger is joined in the series by co-stars Josh Duhamel, Judy Greer and Glenn Fleshler.
The Thing About Pam tells the real-life story of Hupp, who is currently serving a life sentence for the 2016 murder of Louis Gumpenberger and is the main suspect in the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria.
While the story is an insane ride, Zellweger said it was important to honor the legacy of the victims and their families every step of the way.
"That was something we wanted to be really mindful of while we were telling this story," she said. "We wanted to honor Betsy's memory."
Hupp entered an Alford guilty plea in 2019 for the murder of Gumpenberger—which allowed her to avoid the death penalty without admitting guilt to the murder. According to NBC News, Hupp maintains she's innocent in the murder of Faria.
The Thing About Pam premieres Tuesday, Mar. 8 at 10 p.m. on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
(E!, NBC and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family)