Does Jason Momoa Use Red Contact Lenses and Prosthetic Teeth as Lobo in Supergirl?

Helmed by Craig Gillespie, ‘Supergirl‘ follows Kara after the events of ‘Superman,’ as she spends her days listlessly bar-hopping in red sun-adjacent planets. Desperate to drown away her sorrows, Kara gets forced into a battle that isn’t hers after a group of bandits puts a target on her back. Her only ally in this journey is a young girl who lost her parents to the same bandits. As the duo runs on the clock to exact vengeance, they come across a rather terrifying being. Lobo, the immortal bounty hunter, is known for slaughtering his entire planet and is hated by heaven and hell alike. However, when it comes to Kara and Ruthye, he shows a rather unusual side of himself, one that peels back the superficial layers that inspire horror, be it his bloodshot red eyes or the exaggerated canines, all affirming his nature as a true predator.

Jason Momoa’s Red Contact Lenses Were Designed to Cover His Whole Eye

Jason Momoa‘s stunning transformation into the anti-hero Lobo is the result of extensive practical makeup, complete with bright red contact lenses, prosthetic teeth, and a whole lot of body makeup. In an interview with Cinemablend, he opened up about the elaborate process that went into turning him into an immortal bounty hunter. “I’ve never been covered up that much prosthetics. My nails, teeth, hair, prosthetics on my face, body. Everything’s covered,” the actor explained, adding, “And then you’re like ‘Oh, I’m going to learn how to play Lobo. I’m gonna do the lines, I’m gonna try to find this, I’m gonna try to find that.'” While demanding, the process is what gives him his on-screen look that is so true to the comics and has come to be a hallmark of DCU superhero designs.

One thing that makes Momoa’s red contacts stand out even more is the fact that they are full sclerae, meaning that they cover the entire eye, including the whites. While Momoa could still see out of them, the lenses nonetheless proved to be a bit uncomfortable to wear over prolonged shooting periods. What motivated him throughout the entire process was how differently the people on set looked at him. On the Brandon Davis Show, Momoa recalled savoring people’s reactions, as it truly made him feel he was channeling Lobo rather than his usual self. The same can be said about his prosthetic teeth, with noticeably larger incisors that complete the feral look that Lobo is universally beloved for.

The Red Lenses and Artificial Teeth Give Lobo a Comic-Accurate Feel

While Jason Momoa’s signature look as Lobo has taken the internet by storm, it wasn’t always meant to look like this. In one of the original concept arts shared by artist Andrei Riabovitchev, Lobo sports a distinctly bluer skin tone, with more spikes incorporated into his vest, and perhaps most importantly, no red eyes. While the design still looks as imposing as ever, the creative team likely decided not to stray away from the iconic bit of his look in the comics. Indeed, the color of Lobo’s eyes became one of the most intensely discussed topics among fans of the anti-hero, especially after many found their dream cast come to life in the form of Momoa, who is himself a huge fan of the character. As it turns out, the red contacts deliver just that and will likely be the standard going forward.

Donning the prosthetic pieces is one thing, but to channel them into Lobo as a wild-card character made for a different kind of experience for Momoa. This is specifically true in the case of the red lenses, which changed the way he looks at the world. “When you put all that (…) on, and you open your eyes, and they’re big, bright red lenses, all these things kind of come out,” the actor said while talking to Cinemablend about the emotional element of his performance. Though Momoa is no stranger to extreme makeup and prosthetic add-ons, especially for his role as Arthur Curry in ‘Aquaman,’ playing Lobo marks his grandest transformation yet, averaging four hours at the make-up chair. The serrated teeth and the glaring red eyes are what complete this look, and have unsurprisingly emerged as fan-favorites.

Read More: Supergirl Ending Explained: Is Krypto Alive? Why Does Kara Kill Krem?