The entertainment industry is packed with artists, and most of them excel in a number of fields. Some actors are known for standing out in a particular genre, such as comedy or drama. Others are known for portraying the same kind of role in all of their projects or, on the contrary, for their versatility. But very few artists are known for the very thing that makes Doug Jones shine: transforming into monstrous creatures with prosthetic make-up and costumes. He is one of those actors that we have seen thousands of times on-screen, but rarely revealing his actual face.

Jones kicked off his career in 1987 working in advertising, and his background as a mime artist and contortionist helped him make the transition to film shortly thereafter. His cinematic debut was in the horror film The Newlydeads, and some years later, he gained further recognition for his role in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Over the years, Jones progressively specialized in portraying mythological creatures and non-human characters, mainly in films by Guillermo Del Toro, with whom he has collaborated a great number of times.

Recently, he made headlines again after reprising his role as zombie Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel to the 1993 film. This project took Jones by surprise and delighted audiences, who were eagerly awaiting the character’s comeback. Still, this actor and mime artist has been involved in many other outstanding productions. Here is a look at the best of them.

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9 Hocus Pocus

     Buena Vista Pictures

The 1993 film Hocus Pocus follows the Sanderson Sisters, members of the world’s most powerful coven, who are brought back to life on Halloween night by a spell that a young man mistakenly conjures up. It stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, and while initially not very popular, over time it became a family-friendly classic. In this production, Jones portrays a zombie named Billy Butcherson, and despite having very little screen time, he still became a fan-favorite.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Crimson Peak

     Universal Pictures

Crimson Peak is a 2015 film directed by Del Toro and starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain. This gothic romance film follows Edith, a young writer who moves into a gothic mansion with her now husband and his sister. But weird things happen in their new home: memories, ghosts, and dark secrets are about to come to light. In the film, Jones stars as the ghosts of Lady Sharpe and Edith’s mother.

7 Absentia

     Phase 4 Films

After seven years as a missing person, authorities decide to declare Daniel, Tricia’s husband, as deceased. Struggling to move on, she invites Callie, her younger sister, to move in with her for a while. Callie refuses to believe that Daniel is dead, and discovers a mysterious tunnel nearby that seems to be linked to other disappearances. But when a much-abused Daniel reappears, both sisters realize that the situation is more horrific than it seems. Absentia was directed and written by Mike Flanagan, and stars Katie Parker and Courtney Bell. Jones plays Walter Lambert, a man who mysteriously appears inside the tunnel.

6 Hellboy

     Sony Pictures Releasing

In 2004, Del Toro directed Hellboy, a film inspired by Mike Mignola’s novel Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. In it, Ron Perlman stars as Hellboy, a demon who secretly operates as a superhero along with his team to fight evil on earth. Perlman is joined by Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Rupert Evans, Karel Roden, and John Hurt, among others. Jones’ character in this film is that of Abe Sapien, although his voice was provided by David Hyde Pierce.

5 Hocus Pocus 2

     Walt Disney Pictures

In 2022, almost 30 years since Hocus Pocus premiered, Hocus Pocus 2 was released, featuring a brand new story about the adventures of the Sanderson Sisters, once again brought back to life thanks to a group of teenagers’ spell. This time, the production was directed by Anne Fletcher, and featured performances by Midler, Parker, and Najimy, as well as new additions to the cast. Jones reprised his role as Billy Butcherson, but played a much more prominent role in the story, probably due to the fondness he gained from fans over the years.

4 Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life

     Universal Pictures France

Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life is a 2010 French biopic drama that traces the life of singer and icon Serge Gainsbourg: from his childhood in France to his most successful period, including his love affairs with some of the country’s most famous actresses. It is a fantasy-tinged film, where the artist’s thoughts are brought to life on screen by a character named La Gueule, a caricatured version of the singer played by Jones. The film was directed and written by Joann Sfar and stars Eric Elmosnino, Lucy Gordon and Laetitia Casta.

3 Hellboy II: The Golden Army

In 2008, Del Toro and the cast of Hellboy were brought back for its sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army. In this new production, the superhero and his allies must face an army of evil creatures that threaten to destroy the world as we know it. This time around, Jones starred as Abe Sapien, whom he also voiced, but also embodied the Angel of Death and Chamberlain. For his work, he won a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor.

2 The Shape of Water

     Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Shape of Water is another collaboration between Del Toro and Jones, this time, alongside Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. This 2017 film is set in the midst of the Cold War, and recounts the love story between a mute cleaner working in a high-security laboratory and a humanoid amphibian imprisoned there as part of the government’s experiments, and whom the woman is determined to remove from there.

1 Pan’s Labyrinth

     Warner Bros. Pictures

The 2006 Spanish-Mexican film Pan’s Labyrinth is probably the most popular collaboration between Jones and Del Toro. It stars him alongside Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú and Ariadna Gil. Spain is in a post-war situation, and young Ofelia is traveling with her mother to join her cruel stepfather, an Army Captain. One night, Ofelia comes across the ruins of a labyrinth and meets a faun that reveals her true identity: she is a long-lost princess who must overcome some tests in order to go back to her kingdom. In this production, Jones played two characters: the Faun and the Pale Man. In fact, the actor worked very hard to learn his script in Spanish, even though his voice was finally replaced by that of Pablo Adán.