IT: The Creepy Pennywise Things Bill Skarsgard Didn’t Need CGI To Do

The IT movies employed lots of CGI to enhance the terrifying performance of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, but certain things the actor could just do. Skarsgard at first seemed like an odd choice to play Pennywise in director Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of the massive Stephen King book. While he came from an acting family, and was by no means a rookie, Skarsgard still hadn’t really had any high profile roles stateside, and was probably known best in the U.S. for his work on Netflix’s Hemlock Grove.

That’s in stark contrast to Tim Curry, who before playing Pennywise in the 1990 IT miniseries was already a well-known quantity for his roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Legend, Clue, and more. In line with Curry’s existing notoriety, which would of course get even larger following his iconic turn as Pennywise, many had been fan-casting big names like Willem Dafoe, Mark Hamill, and even Tilda Swinton in the IT remake. When Skarsgard was chosen, many were left asking who that was.

Thankfully, Skarsgard proved any and all doubters wrong. While the debate rages on as to whether Skarsgard or Curry was the superior Pennywise performer, most King devotees seem to accept both as equally valid portrayals of the character. It turns out though that despite the use of CGI serving to distinguish the two IT adaptations, some of Skarsgard’s versions most unnerving qualities were completely practical.

IT: Creepy Pennywise Things Bill Skarsgard Didn’t Need CGI To Do

The first trademark aspect of the new Pennywise for IT 2017 that Bill Skarsgard added to the role completely without CGI help was the character’s twisted smile. Pennywise smiles in a very weird way, with his lower lip pointing sharply downward, and the effect is unsettling. When coupled with how much Skarsgard’s Pennywise drools, it’s supremely creepy. According to Skarsgard, his older brother can do that smile too, and when going in to audition for IT, he wanted to use his facial control as a way to set himself apart.

Additionally, during multiple scenes in both IT movies, Skarsgard’s Pennywise points his eyes in two different directions, with the angle sometimes making it appear like he’s looking both at the Losers’ Club and the audience itself. The obvious conclusion would be special effects for how that was done, but nope, Skarsgard can do that with his eyes on command. Surprisingly enough, Andy Muschietti didn’t know Skarsgard could do that when he cast him, so when the director decided he wanted Pennywise’s eyes to go their separate ways, he was stunned to learn he wouldn’t need to use CGI. Amusingly, Bill Hader assumed it had been CGI, so when he first saw Skarsgard do it on set, the comic actor was freaked out.

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