Marvel Studios had an enormous task at hand as they had to make the original Steve Rogers superskinny. Of course, Chris Evans’ Captain America has an astonishing physique but making him superskinny was a pain the studio had to bear.
The pre and post-Super Soldier Serum Steve Rogers’ transformation in Captain America: The First Avenger was quite a ride for the director and the special effects team. Director Joe Johnston was an effects pro himself and it was clear what he actually wanted from Steve Rogers.
The Making of Superskinny Steve Rogers
For the entire Captain America: The First Avenger team, it was a hell ride making it possible to look superskinny Steve Rogers believable. Captain America’s skinny body double, Leander Deeny did most of the physical part but facial rendering was another job that needed perfection. The studio hired Lola Visual Effects to make it possible for the skinny version of Rogers to have his essential screen time. Marvel President Kevin Feige said (via, MCU: The Reign Of Marvel Studios),
“We knew that the movie wouldn’t work if you didn’t buy Skinny Steve at the top. We’re going to spend the whole first act with a scrawny version of Steve Rogers before he gets chosen for the program and undergoes the procedure that turns him into Captain America.”
It was known to all involved in the film, including director Joe Johnston that the trust of the audience was at stake and it was worth spending millions of dollars for the transformation of Rogers. Also, from the point of view of the narrative, it was important to establish the pure heart with the patriotic zeal of the primary character before embarking on the journey of a superhero.
Leander Deeny— The Unsung Hero
The essence of the movie is for Steve Rogers to appear as a ninety-eight-pound weakling was possible for the heart and soul of the body double Deeny. In Lola’s processing for the transformation, Deeny was the key to achieving the desired look for lean and thin Steve. “Leander is the unsung hero of this,” the visual effects supervisor for Lola, Edson Williams told The Wrap.
“He was very dedicated and he was very aware of mimicking Chris’ timing. He wasn’t trying to get his performance out there. It’s his biggest credit and it’s a role where you never see his face.”
Deeny had to closely monitor the tiniest details of Chris Evans’ performance tracking every bit of his movements. Later, Deeny had to do exactly what Evans did mimicking his movements. Afterward, Evans’ facial expressions were added to Deeny’s body digitally. “The heady replacements were tricky, because you were taking the head of a rhinoceros and putting it on the body of a gazelle,” Williams said. The difference in “muscles, in connective tissue was so vast.” Further, the most difficult part was to make the necks match up. End of the day, the markers of the movie have achieved what they always wanted while Deeny remained the unsung hero of the process.
Captain America: The First Avenger is available to stream on Disney Plus.
