Paul Giamatti played the role of Professor Paul Hunham in the 2023 Oscar-nominated flick The Holdovers and etched his name into fame as one of the most remarkable performances in cinema. The actor’s portrayal of a grumpy, cynical, and somewhat misanthropic individual highlighted a deep character complexity, driving the emotional core of the film. Thus, among the many, standing out as one of the unique personality traits of the character was a fake eye, adding a layer to the persona.

Now, as the actor stands on the verge of earning his first-ever Oscar, a question goes around asking: does he really sport that eye in reality?

The truth behind Paul Giamatti’s lazy eye as seen in The Holdovers

The 56-year-old actor excelled in his role as Professor Hunham, as the socially awkward teacher formed an unlikely bond with a student as well as the remaining staff during the holdover period. Additionally, the lazy eye added a distinct visual element to his character, making him instantly recognizable. However, in contrast to The Holdovers’ depiction, Paul Giamatti does not have a fake or lazy eye in real life and his condition in the movie came because of makeup and movie magic.

Director Alexander Payne employed prosthetics as well as a practical off-center contact lens to achieve the glass eye effect. Furthermore, the big, soft, opaque contact lens essentially left Giamatti blind to one eye for a majority of the movie’s scenes, including the ones involving driving. Payne also had the actor switch the lazy eye from left to right depending on the camera angle, displaying an accurate usage of cinematic prowess to enhance the storyline both visually and narratively.

In recognition of unnoticed efforts like these, both Paul Giamatti and The Holdovers deserve their Oscars spot but face tough competition ahead.

The race to the Oscars for Paul Giamatti

On March 10, 2024, the 96th Academy Awards will have some of the biggest names in cinema compete against each other for the top honor. Incidentally, Paul Giamatti will compete for a win in what came as his first-ever Best Actor Oscar nomination and his second Academy Awards nod ever after 2006’s Cinderella Man and Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Jeffrey Wright, and Cillian Murphy, who is on a winning streak, stand as his competitors.

For The Holdovers, the race goes even tougher with a total of ten films, the maximum possible, competing for the Best Picture Oscar. Again, it too, has to win against the likes of Oppenheimer, which has demoed its winning capacity recently.

What are your reactions to Paul Giamatti using a prosthetic fake eye for The Holdovers? Let us know in the comments below.