Amber Heard's Aquaman Costume Kept Her On Her Feet During 16 Hour Set Days
At this point, outrageous, other-worldly costumes for heroes and villains alike are hallmarks of the superhero genre. In the modern era, most of these outlandish outfits are added digitally during post-production, though many comic book-based projects still stuff their actors into real, tangible costumes. 2018's "Aquaman" is one such movie, with many of the feature's talent gussied up in elaborate Atlantean outfits. Amber Heard found herself in quite an extreme costume while filming her scenes as Mera, which did a great job keeping her on her feet throughout the long shooting days.
"For the first six months, I couldn't sit down," Heard shared during an appearance on Good Morning America in 2018. Of course, the average workday on the "Aquaman" set clocked in at around 16 hours, so the costume made it quite an uncomfortable experience. Thankfully, the crew came up with a solution so she could get some kind of rest when the cameras weren't rolling. "I can lean, and so they built me a leaning board for my breaks," she told the hosts. Still, she recalled that the discomfort didn't prevent her from having a blast on the set.
Sure, Heard's costume might have robbed her of the ability to sit while filming "Aquaman," but she still admires all the hard work that went into making it.
Heard considers her Mera costume a work of art
A role in the entertainment world that tends to be overlooked by many is that of the costume designer. These talented folks are responsible for making outfits that are functional, look good on camera, and fit the overall aesthetic of a film or television show. It's no stretch to say that the costuming team for "Aquaman" went above and beyond for the film, crafting costumes that look great on those wearing them, honor the source material, and fit the underwater theme of the movie perfectly. Even Amber Heard was blown away by her Mera outfit.
While sitting down with Entertainment Weekly — alongside Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa — Heard took some time to praise the people who made her Mera costume a reality. She explained, "That's a whole other level of functional art...they're so intricate, and the design is so, I mean, you have to move in it, you have to breathe in it, you have to live in it." Although, Momoa was sure to mention that their costumes were far from simple to get in and out of — something that made using the bathroom during the "Aquaman" shoot pretty much impossible.
Though they do have their drawbacks, there's no denying the sheer artistry and engineering brilliance behind live-action superhero costumes.