Naomi Grossman As Pepper

When Naomi Grossman sought Pepper’s role for American Horror Story: Asylum, the similarities between her and the murderous microcephalic just about stopped at their short stature. But when she first appeared on screen in character, she fully embodied the role.

That’s all thanks to Grossman’s willingness to shave her hair and spend up to three hours, transforming into the asylum patient. Of course, her research into Schlitzie, the inspiration for Pepper, had a lot to do with her impressively believable performance. No wonder Grossman has since scored more horror roles in films like The Initiation and The Lurker.