Hollywood Popular Artists

Jan 16th 2013, 17:00

By Hannah Soo Park

Perfecting a shrilling cackle apparently isn't the only challenge that comes with tackling the role of a wicked witch.

MTV News' Josh Horowitz caught up with "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" star Famke Janssen, who said that half the battle of playing Muriel, the movie's chief villain, was looking the part—and dealing with the makeup that came with it.

"I mean unless you've actually had prosthetic makeup on your face, it's this hypothetical idea of what that would be like, and it doesn't seem so daunting as the reality of it is," she said.

While taking on a whole other look is presumably freeing for an actor, Janssen seems to have experienced quite the opposite. "Really, it took a week or so to get into the whole mode of it and to get used to the whole circus of people that you have around you...you constantly have people tinkering with you."

But, hey, at least the actress managed to find enjoyment in the process. Even though transforming into the unsightly witch meant making a few adjustments here and there, she did say that it was "such a fun challenge, something I've never done before."

In case you were wondering, Janssen also mentioned that CGI wasn't involved in the making of Muriel's cracked white face and menacing green eyes: "No, no, it was me. I mean, sort of me...with some added bonus."

In the film, Muriel (Janssen) deviously plots to sacrifice neighborhood children in a ritual, but faces trouble when bounty hunters Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) threaten to take her down.

"Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" will play in theaters on January 25.

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