When life involves endless red carpet appearances, prying eyes and a social media frenzy every time you walk the dog, it can be tempting to get away from it all. Fortunately, several A-listers know that they've got the skills needed to disappear in plain sight – with a little help from a prosthetic nose or a new head of hair.
Some of them even managed to collect an extra qualification along the way. Keep reading to find out which celebrities went undercover for some seriously strange roles and whether their disguises survived close inspection…
Aubrey Plaza took part in a recreational basketball game while wearing a wig and goggles
Aubrey Plaza joined the Pistol Shrimps basketball team ahead of starring in a documentary of the same name. However, after being denied a trade request to her sister's team, she donned a wig and goggles to sneak onto her sibling's roster and play undercover
Unfortunately, a torn ACL rather gave the ruse away as she was carried off the court in the middle of the match.
Hustlers star Constance Wu prepared to play Destiny by going undercover at a real strip club, sporting fake neck tattoos and hair pieces.
The actress explained in 2020 on The Kelly Clarkson Show: "I gave lap dances to strangers. I'm not lying. I made $600 my first night."
Kevin Bacon is a fan of a disguise, for film preparations and personal experiments
Kevin Bacon is a familiar and ever-friendly face on the red carpet but in preparing for his role in Footloose, he decided to go undercover as Ren McCormack, taking the lead character into a real high school setting.
In 2017, he revealed that "It was exactly like the movie because some kids gave me a hard time, made fun of me, made fun of my hair, made fun of my clothing." He also admitted in 2024 that he'd once requested a prosthetic disguise and walked around a mall in Los Angeles to experience a 'normal' day.
Judd Nelson went undercover at a Chicago high school when he was 24
Judd Nelson's apathetic rebel made him a teenage heartthrob and timeless '80s star. But the fame was well-deserved, considering Judd's dedication in preparing for the role of a lifetime.
The actor reportedly posed as a student at a high school in Chicago, managing to convince some of the teens he was one of them by persuading them that his real ID was fake and buying them beer.
Renee prepared for her role as Bridget Jones by taking a job at a publishing company
Per a 2025 interview with British Vogue, Renée Zellweger prepared to become Helen Fielding's beloved singleton by becoming 'Bridget Cavendish' and taking a role at a publishing house.
