Lost for words! Sean Penn is unrecognisable as the Oxford English Dictionary's greatest contributor on the set of new film The Professor and the Madman
He plays the greatest contributor of quotes to the Oxford English Dictionary in his forthcoming film, but onlookers were still lost for words as Sean Penn made his latest appearance in Dublin.
With wild, unkempt hair and a bedraggled beard the usually suave veteran actor, 56, looked unrecognisable while relaxing between takes on the set of new movie The Professor and the Madman.
A dishevelled Penn also sported bloody medical dressing across his brow and nose as he made his way towards his trailer in ill-fitting, grubby trousers and bathrobe during the location shoot on Monday afternoon.
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Transformed: With wild, unkempt hair and a bedraggled beard the usually suave Sean Penn looked unrecognisable while relaxing between takes on the set of new movie The Professor and the Madman in Dublin on Monday afternoon
The forthcoming film sees him play William Chester Minor, a former US army surgeon who contributes more than 10,000 entries to the Oxford English Dictionary while being held at an asylum for the criminally insane.
Minor, who passed away in 1920, became a devoted contributor after answering a call for volunteers from Scottish lexicographer Sir James Murray - the dictionary's primary editor.
Actor and director Mel Gibson, 60, who takes the role of Murray, was not present on the Irish set as Penn made his brief appearance.
In character: A dishevelled Penn also sported bloody medical dressing across his brow and nose as he made his way towards his trailer in ill-fitting, grubby trousers during the location shoot.
Quite a difference: The forthcoming film sees him play William Chester Minor, a former US army surgeon who contributes more than 10,000 entries to the Oxford English Dictionary while being held at an asylum for the criminally insane
Gibson, whose enormous beard - essential for his portrayal of the 19th century academic - has seen him undergo his own radical transformation, was last seen shooting scenes on Wednesday.
The actor looked rather eccentric as he strolled across set baring his chest under a black coat teamed with dark blue jeans.
Thumbing his way through the pages of a shooting script, Mel appeared animated while chatting to a member of the production team.
Latest role: Mel Gibson, whose enormous beard - essential for his portrayal of 19th century academic Sir James Murray - has seen him undergo his own radical transformation, was last seen shooting scenes on Wednesday
The Professor and the Madman sees Gibson reunite with writer and director Farhad Safinia, his screenwriting partner on 2006 hit Apocalypto.
Other stars to feature on the period project include Natalie Dormer, Ioan Gruffudd and Jeremy Irvine.
The film, adapted from Simon Winchester's book the The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, is expected to be released in 2017.
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